Palworld Mods Restore Patched Mechanics Amid Nintendo, Pokémon Legal Battle

In a bold move, Palworld modders have stepped in to reinstate game mechanics that were removed by developer Pocketpair due to legal pressures from Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. The recent patches to Palworld, as confirmed by Pocketpair last week, were a direct result of an ongoing patent lawsuit, forcing changes that altered key gameplay elements.

Palworld burst onto the scene in early 2024, available on Steam for $30 and included in Xbox and PC Game Pass. Its launch shattered sales and concurrent player records. The overwhelming success caught Pocketpair off guard, with CEO Takuro Mizobe admitting that the developer struggled to manage the massive profits. Capitalizing on the game's popularity, Pocketpair swiftly signed a deal with Sony to create Palworld Entertainment, aimed at expanding the franchise. The game later made its way to the PS5.

Following its massive launch, Palworld faced accusations of copying Pokémon designs, leading to comparisons between Palworld's Pals and Pokémon. Instead of pursuing a copyright infringement lawsuit, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company opted for a patent lawsuit, seeking 5 million yen each (approximately $32,846) plus damages and an injunction to halt Palworld's release.

Pocketpair confirmed in November that they were being sued over three Japan-based patents related to capturing Pokémon in a virtual field. Palworld initially featured a similar mechanic, where players could throw a Pal Sphere at monsters in a field to capture them, akin to the mechanic in Pokémon Legends: Arceus on the Nintendo Switch.

Six months later, Pocketpair acknowledged that recent updates, including Patch v0.3.11 released in November 2024, were necessitated by the legal action. This patch removed the ability to summon Pals by throwing Pal Spheres, instead opting for a static summon next to the player. Further changes were made in Patch v0.5.5, shifting gliding mechanics from using Pals to requiring a glider in the player's inventory, though Pals still offer passive gliding buffs.

Pocketpair described these modifications as "compromises" made to avoid an injunction that could block Palworld's development and sales. However, modders have quickly responded to these changes. Just a week after Patch v0.5.5, Primarinabee released the Glider Restoration mod on Nexus Mods, which reintroduces the original gliding mechanic. The mod description humorously dismisses the patch, stating, "Palworld Patch 0.5.5? What? That didn't happen!" It allows players to glide with their Pals again, albeit with the need for a glider in their inventory.

The Glider Restoration mod, available since May 10, has been downloaded hundreds of times. Meanwhile, another mod attempts to restore the throw-to-release mechanic for Pals, though it lacks the original ball-throwing animation. The longevity of these mods remains uncertain amidst the ongoing lawsuit.

At the Game Developers Conference in March, IGN interviewed John "Bucky" Buckley, communications director and publishing manager for Pocketpair. Buckley's talk, 'Community Management Summit: A Palworld Roller Coaster: Surviving the Drop,' delved into the game's challenges, including accusations of using generative AI and copying Pokémon models, which Pocketpair has refuted. Buckley also touched on the unexpected nature of Nintendo's patent lawsuit, describing it as a "shock" to the studio.