In brief: Creature-catching game Palworld is boldly expanding to mobile platforms, undeterred by legal challenges. This move comes shortly after Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed a patent infringement lawsuit against its creator, Pocketpair. Despite these legal hurdles, the indie studio seems undaunted, pressing forward with its plans.
Pocketpair announced on Wednesday that it has partnered with Korean gaming giant Krafton to develop a mobile version of Palworld. The mobile adaptation will be handled by PUBG Studios, the same team behind PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds.
While it’s still early days and details are sparse, Krafton has reassured fans that they plan to “faithfully reinterpret and implement the original’s main fun elements to fit the mobile environment.” The promise suggests that the game won’t simply be a watered-down version, but a thoughtfully adapted experience.
Given Krafton’s success in mobile gaming with the hugely popular PUBG Mobile, it’s likely that Palworld will adopt a free-to-play model on smartphones and tablets. The PC and console versions currently require an upfront purchase, but free-to-play games dominate Palworld’s largest market – China.
The shift to mobile follows Palworld’s rapid rise in popularity since its January launch on PC and Xbox. Players have been captivated by exploring the open-world Palpagos Islands and catching a wide array of unique creatures, many of which bear a striking resemblance to Pokémon.
Being a survival game, Palworld also involves building a base camp, and eventually, equipping creatures with guns for survival – earning it the playful nickname “Pokémon with guns.”
However, Palworld’s soaring success hasn’t been without controversy. Last month, Nintendo filed a lawsuit in Japan, alleging that Pocketpair infringed on several patents related to Pokémon gameplay mechanics. This legal battle has already caused an indefinite delay of Palworld’s release in Japan across all platforms.
Pocketpair has pushed back, claiming they are “unaware of the specific patents we are accused of infringing upon.”
There are even rumors that Nintendo might take the case overseas. A Yahoo Japan report highlighted four patent applications from Nintendo, including those related to Pokéball-style catching mechanics, which could potentially lead to lawsuits in other countries.
