Palworld Modders Revive Mechanics Removed Due to Nintendo and Pokémon's Patent Lawsuit

Palworld modders are stepping up to restore game mechanics that developer Pocketpair was compelled to alter due to a patent lawsuit from Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. Last week, Pocketpair disclosed that recent patches were influenced by the ongoing litigation, specifically mentioning changes made to accommodate legal pressures.

Palworld, which launched on Steam for $30 and was immediately available on Xbox and PC via Game Pass in early 2024, shattered sales and concurrent player records. The overwhelming success led Pocketpair's CEO Takuro Mizobe to admit that the developer was overwhelmed by the game's massive profits. Capitalizing on this, Pocketpair swiftly signed a deal with Sony to establish Palworld Entertainment, aimed at expanding the franchise. The game later made its way to PS5.

Following Palworld's launch, comparisons to Pokémon were inevitable, with accusations of design plagiarism. However, instead of pursuing a copyright infringement lawsuit, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company opted for a patent lawsuit, seeking 5 million yen (approximately $32,846) each, plus additional damages and an injunction to halt Palworld's distribution.

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

Six months later, Pocketpair admitted that Patch v0.3.11, released in November 2024, was a direct result of the lawsuit. This update removed the ability to summon Pals by throwing Pal Spheres, changing it to a static summon beside the player. Other mechanics were also altered. Pocketpair stated that these changes were necessary to prevent further gameplay deterioration.

Last week's Patch v0.5.5 further modified Palworld by requiring a glider for gliding, instead of using Pals. While Pals still offer passive gliding buffs, players must now carry a glider in their inventory. Pocketpair described these alterations as "compromises" made to avoid a potential injunction that could stop Palworld's development and sales.

Just a week after the patch, modders restored the gliding mechanic with Primarinabee’s Glider Restoration mod, available on Nexus Mods. This mod, which has been downloaded hundreds of times since its release on May 10, effectively reverses the changes introduced in Patch 0.5.5, allowing players to glide with their Pals once again.

“Palworld Patch 0.5.5? What? That didn't happen!” reads the mod description. It highlights the mod's ability to restore gliding with Pals, although a glider is still required in the inventory. The mod aims to be compatible with future game updates.

There's also a mod that attempts to restore the throw-to-release mechanic for Pals, though it lacks the original ball-throwing animation, simply summoning the Pal where the player is looking.

The longevity of Glider Restoration remains uncertain due to the ongoing lawsuit. At the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in March, IGN had an in-depth discussion with John “Bucky” Buckley, communications director and publishing manager for Pocketpair. Buckley spoke after his session titled 'Community Management Summit: A Palworld Roller Coaster: Surviving the Drop,' where he detailed Palworld’s challenges, including refuting claims of using generative AI and stealing Pokémon models. He also touched on the surprise of Nintendo’s patent lawsuit against Pocketpair.