Investigation Planned by Pokemon Company for Palworld

The Pokemon Company stated on Thursday that they have not given “another company,” specifically referring to Pocketpair, the developers of Palworld, permission to use Pokemon trademarks or content. They also declared their intention to investigate and take necessary actions against the quickly rising survival game company.

This is the first acknowledgement from The Pokemon Company regarding Palworld, which has sold over 8 million copies in under six days, surpassing the success of even popular AAA titles. As previously reported by TechCrunch, Palworld is undeniably a clone of Pokémon. However, its unique combination of monster collecting, automation, and survival/crafting mechanics has captured the attention of players.

Palworld taps into the long-held desire for a modern take on the monster taming genre, which was arguably established by Pokémon but has yet to significantly evolve. Whether driven by genuine interest or a desire to challenge Nintendo’s lack of innovation, gamers have flocked to Palworld for its fresh approach.

The developers at Pocketpair, who released the game on January 19, have insisted that their title bears more resemblance to Ark Survival than to Pokémon. Pocketpair’s CEO Takuro Mizobe also warned earlier this week that the team has been receiving slanderous comments and even death threats through social media.

“We have received numerous inquiries about another company’s game released in January 2024. We have not granted permission for the use of Pokémon trademarks or content in that game,” The Pokemon Company stated in a post on their website on Thursday.

“We intend to thoroughly investigate and take necessary actions to address any violations of intellectual property rights related to Pokémon. We will continue to cherish and cultivate each and every Pokémon and their world, and strive to unite the world through Pokémon in the future.”

More updates will be provided.