POKÉMON is the world’s biggest franchise, and that means that there are plenty of copycats out there.
The company is extremely quick to take down any other projects that use Pokémon designs without a license.
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However, fans have been shocked by Pokémon’s lack of action when it comes to a new game that uses designs eerily similar to certain ‘mons.
Palworld launched about a week ago, showcasing a number of Pals that were designed similar to Pokémon.
It has been hugely successful, quickly rising to the second most popular game on Steam of all time.
Due to Palworld’s popularity, people have been scrutinizing the game very closely and some are not happy with its success.
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There have been accusations over the use of AI to create the similar designs, and some have even claimed that the models have been stolen from the latest Pokémon game, Scarlet and Violet.
None of these claims have been proven, and they are mostly speculation from those against Palworld.
People were expecting Pokémon to sue Palworld over the similarities, but it seems unlikely that this will be the case.
A fan-made Pokémon mod of Palworld was removed within 24 hours of release, showing that Pokémon’s legal team can move extremely quickly if there is a legitimate copyright issue.
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Pokémon have finally responded, but it wasn’t the response that fans of the series were hoping for.
The statement reads: “We have received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024.
“We have not granted any permission for the use of Pokémon intellectual property or assets in that game.
“We intend to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to the Pokémon.
“We will continue to cherish and nurture each and every Pokémon and its world, and work to bring the world together through Pokémon in the future.”
It’s clear from the statement that The Pokémon Company is letting fans know that it is aware of Palworld and that players do not need to report similarities to them.
While the designs are in some cases strikingly similar, copyright law allows for this kind of similarity.
If you want to read more about the game, check out our Palworld review.
Written by Georgina Young on behalf of GLHF.
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