‘Pokémon with Guns’ Developer Faces Death Threats Amidst Controversy
The release of the new video game Palworld has sparked a heated controversy, with the developers facing death threats due to the striking resemblance the game shares with the beloved Nintendo franchise, Pokémon. The game, which has already sold an impressive five million copies across PC and Xbox in just a few days, has drawn the ire of Pokémon diehards who took to social media to express their frustration.
The controversy surrounding Palworld stems from its similarities to Pokémon. Gamers have pointed out convincing resemblances between Palworld’s creatures and iconic Pokémon designs. For example, Palworld’s Grintale bears a striking resemblance to Pokémon’s Galarian Meowth, while another Palworld design is reminiscent of Lucario. These similarities have led fans to accuse the developers of ripping off Pokémon’s intellectual property.
While fan games inspired by popular franchises are not uncommon, the commercialization of these characters as something new has fueled the frustration among Pokémon fans. Palworld’s potential for generating significant revenue has raised questions about whether it should be allowed to profit from its similarities to Pokémon. However, the creators of Palworld are standing behind their game, asserting that it offers a unique experience.
Adding fuel to the fire, there have been accusations that the developers used artificial intelligence (AI) in the creation of Palworld. Although there is limited evidence to support these claims, older tweets from Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe mentioned the use of AI art in games, including references to how the technology created fake Pokémon that could be mistaken for real ones. Furthermore, Pocketpair released a game in 2022 called AI: Art Impostor, further fueling speculation about their use of AI in Palworld.
The concept behind Palworld is familiar to fans of creature-capturing games. Players assume the role of a human character who battles, trains, and captures various creatures called “pals.” The game features an open-world multiplayer setting where players can engage in battles with friends, steal their pals and items, and, notably, use guns.
Despite the controversy and accusations of copyright infringement, Pocketpair does not appear to be concerned about a potential lawsuit from Nintendo. The game reportedly passed legal reviews prior to its release, suggesting that the frustrations of Pokémon fans may not hold up in court. However, modders have already managed to insert actual Pokémon into Palworld, further intensifying the debate.
In an interview with Automaton Media, Mizobe acknowledged Pokémon as a “great predecessor” to Palworld but emphasized that his game offers a distinct experience. He compared Palworld more closely to the action-adventure survival game Ark: Survival Evolved. Mizobe believes that any game in the creature-capturing genre will inevitably draw comparisons to Pokémon and face scrutiny as a result.
Despite the backlash, Mizobe maintains that Pocketpair takes the creation of their games seriously and has no intention of infringing upon the intellectual property of other companies. For now, it seems that diehard Pokémon fans will have to vent their frustrations on message boards and social media platforms, as the fate of Palworld remains uncertain amidst the ongoing controversy.