The Pokémon Company Launches Probe into Potential IP Infringement Amidst Ongoing Palworld Controversy

The Pokémon Company has announced an investigation into potential intellectual property rights infringement following multiple inquiries about a game released by another company in January 2024. Although the company did not specify the title, this move comes amidst controversy surrounding Pocket Pair's Palworld, which bears alleged similarities to Pokémon. In a statement, the company emphasized that it has not authorized the use of its intellectual property in the game and will take necessary measures to address any acts of infringement. Prior to Palworld's launch, its CEO addressed concerns about the game's similarities to Pokémon, stating that the company had no intention of infringing on other companies' intellectual property. Despite this, Nintendo has issued takedown notices for Pokémon-themed creations related to Palworld, and the modding site Nexus Mods has opted not to host Pokémon mods for the game to avoid potential legal action. Palworld has achieved significant commercial success, surpassing four million units sold in three days and reaching eight million copies sold in six days, with a peak concurrent player count of 1.29 million on Steam during its launch weekend.