Palworld Modders Bring Back Features Removed Due to Nintendo and Pokémon Legal Action

Palworld modders have taken the initiative to restore game mechanics that developer Pocketpair was compelled to remove due to a patent lawsuit filed by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. Last week, Pocketpair acknowledged that recent updates to the game were a direct result of this legal battle.

Palworld burst onto the scene in early 2024, launching on Steam for $30 and simultaneously on Xbox and PC via Game Pass. The game shattered sales records and set new benchmarks for concurrent player numbers. The success overwhelmed Pocketpair, with CEO Takuro Mizobe admitting the company was unprepared for the massive profits. Capitalizing on the momentum, Pocketpair quickly struck a deal with Sony to establish Palworld Entertainment, a new venture aimed at expanding the Palworld IP. The game later made its debut on the PlayStation 5.

Following its monumental launch, Palworld faced accusations of copying Pokémon designs, leading to comparisons between its creatures, known as Pals, and Pokémon. However, instead of pursuing a copyright infringement case, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company opted for a patent lawsuit, demanding 5 million yen (approximately $32,846) each, plus damages for late payment, and an injunction to block Palworld's release.

In November, Pocketpair confirmed it was being sued over three Japan-based patents related to capturing Pokémon in a virtual field. Palworld had featured a similar mechanic involving the use of a Pal Sphere to capture monsters in the wild, reminiscent of the mechanic in the 2022 Nintendo Switch title, Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

Six months later, Pocketpair released an update admitting that changes made in Patch v0.3.11, released in November 2024, were indeed due to the ongoing litigation. This patch eliminated the ability to summon Pals by throwing Pal Spheres, replacing it with a static summon next to the player. Additional game mechanics were also altered. Pocketpair stated that without these modifications, the gameplay experience would have suffered even more.

Last week’s Patch v0.5.5 further adjusted Palworld’s mechanics, changing how gliding is performed. Instead of using Pals, players now require a glider in their inventory to glide, although Pals still provide passive gliding buffs. Pocketpair described these changes as necessary "compromises" to avoid a potential injunction that could halt the game's development and sales.

In response, modders have swiftly acted to restore the original gliding mechanic. Primarinabee’s Glider Restoration mod, available on Nexus Mods, reverses the changes introduced by Patch v0.5.5. The mod, which became available on May 10 and has been downloaded hundreds of times, allows players to glide with their Pals once again, albeit with the need for a glider in their inventory.

While a mod to restore the throw-to-release Pal mechanic exists, it does not fully replicate the original functionality, lacking the ball-throwing animation and instead summoning the Pal at the player's point of view. The longevity of the Glider Restoration mod remains uncertain as the lawsuit continues.

At the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in March, IGN interviewed John "Bucky" Buckley, communications director and publishing manager for Pocketpair. Following his talk, 'Community Management Summit: A Palworld Roller Coaster: Surviving the Drop,' Buckley discussed various challenges faced by Palworld, including accusations of using generative AI and stealing Pokémon models—claims that have since been debunked. He also touched on the unexpected nature of Nintendo's patent lawsuit against Pocketpair.