Palworld Developer Has Removed Game Features Due to Nintendo Legal Pressure

When it debuted as an early access game in 2024, the popular action/collection videogame Palworld was an instant hit but it didn't take a judicial expert to predict that its similarities to Pokemon would invite legal action. That happened about eight months later when Nintendo and The Pokemon Company filed suit, claiming patent infringement.

Now, gamers are seeing some of the effects of that legal threat. Pocketpair, the studio behind the unofficial parody, has removed some features from the game. The use of Pal Spheres (similar to Poke Balls in Pokemon) and the ability to glide with Pals have been patched out of gameplay with updates in November and this month.

In a blog post titled, "Regarding the lawsuit, changes to Palworld and the future," Pocketpair said the changes "were indeed a result of the ongoing litigation."

The post goes on to say: "Everyone here at Pocketpair was disappointed that this adjustment had to be made, and we fully understand that many players feel the same frustration. Unfortunately, as the alternative would have led to an even greater deterioration of the gameplay experience for players, it was determined that this change was necessary."

A representative for Nintendo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Even with legal action pending, the game's expansion has not slowed down. It's available on PlayStation 5, Xbox consoles and PC, and there's a mobile version still in the works .

Legal maneuvers

Much of the debate around Palworld's existence and why it's facing legal challenges has to do with whether the game itself could be protected legally if it's considered a parody . That may be why the lawsuit is based on patent infringement, focusing on mechanics of the game, rather than copyright infringement.

One expert on regulatory issues and game lawsuits, Florian Mueller at Games Fray , has been posting reactions on social media to news about the Nintendo suit. According to Mueller, Pocketpair's changes may go a long way toward dismantling some of Nintendo and Pokemon Company's legal arguments.

"With those workarounds, Pocketpair will be in the clear in the US market. They can then destroy the patents, even if takes a couple of years, and finally bring back the old game mechanics if they want," he wrote on X .

Mueller characterized Nintendo's suit as "bullying."

"One issue with Nintendo's bullying (given that the patents don't cover serious technical progress) is that the industry would have a way bigger problem if everyone did it," he posted on X . "Nintendo has 2,000 granted US patents, Sony has 47,000, Microsoft has 53,000. Imagine if THEY sued!"

First published on May 9, 2025 at 8:49 a.m. PT.