Pocketpair Is Making Some Changes
This year, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Pocketpair, the developer of Palworld. In a significant turn of events, Pocketpair has introduced an update for the game. It changes how the Pokémon-inspired throwing mechanic works. The latest v0.3.11 patch states that “player-owned Pals” will always appear near the player when summoned. This adjustment means you can no longer use Pal Spheres to summon Pals in specific spots on the map, adding a new layer of consistency to how they appear in the game.
The developer of Palworld has not explained why they changed this mechanic in the latest update. But, many fans think it’s connected to their legal dispute with Pokémon and Nintendo. This comes amid reports of a lawsuit involving three patents. This includes one related to gameplay mechanics and the act of throwing items to capture creatures.
Pocketpair previously stated that it will continue improving Palworld and will do its “utmost” to support fans to “ensure indie game developers are not hindered or discouraged from pursuing their creative ideas.” Last month, they even announced a surprise collaboration with the beloved action-adventure sandbox game Terraria.
Just for reference, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are seeking “an injunction against the game and compensation for a portion of the damages” for five million yen each (10 million yen in total), along with additional “late payment damages.”