The allegations of Palworld taking inspiration from Pokémon for its catchable monster designs have been circulating for some time now. Amidst the fervor, a modder has opted to leave no room for doubt by transforming Palworld’s Pokémon-like creatures into actual Pokémon. YouTube user ToastedShoes shared an ambitious overhaul mod that replaces Palworld’s Pals with their Pokémon counterparts. This means that the creatures that were once seen wielding guns and working in mines and factories now become Pokémon who also bear arms and perform manual labor.
Upon watching the brief gameplay clips of the mod, viewers will spot original first-generation Pokémon such as Pikachu and Oddish. Additionally, later additions to the Pokémon roster like Piplup, Hoothoot, and Torchic are also featured. However, the mod delves even deeper by transforming the player character model into Ash Ketchum, the protagonist of the Pokémon anime. Furthermore, Palworld NPCs are replaced by Ash’s fellow gym leaders, Brock and Misty, with the latter being depicted wielding a shotgun. To add another surprising twist, the mod replaces Palworld’s first boss encounter with Zoe and the Grizzbolt-like creature. Instead, players engage in a face-off against Team Rocket’s Jessie and an actual Electabuzz.
While Palworld manages to toe the line when it comes to potential copyright infringement by incorporating similar yet distinct monster designs, the Pokémon mod boldly solidifies the connection between the two franchises. Even if Palworld manages to avoid the ire of Nintendo, a mod that equips Pikachu with a machine gun may very well cross the line. Pocketpair, the developers of Palworld, assert that they have “absolutely no intention of infringing upon the intellectual property of other companies” and claim that their game underwent all necessary legal checks before achieving immense popularity on platforms such as Steam.
Palworld has undeniably garnered attention, whether deserved or not, making it one of the most talked-about games of 2024. However, amidst the hype, it is crucial to examine the game’s true originality and its relationship with Pokémon. While the developers continue to defend their creation, questions surrounding the resemblance of Palworld’s in-game models to those found in Pokémon persist, further muddying the waters.
As the heated controversy surrounding Palworld and its similarities to Pokémon persists, it remains to be seen how these legal and creative battles will unfold. Will Palworld manage to establish itself as a distinct and innovative title, or will it be overshadowed by its unmistakable connection to the Pokémon franchise? Only time will tell, but for now, Palworld stands as a game that has sparked intense discussion and captivated the gaming world – even if it has done so by standing on the shoulders of giants.
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