Palworld developer Pocketpair has revealed that recent changes to the game’s mechanics are, indeed, due to the ongoing Nintendo lawsuit, and that more changes are incoming in the next update.
Speaking on X, Pocketpair says that just “as many have speculated”, changes implemented in Palworld‘s 0.3.11 update, which was released in November, “were indeed a result of the ongoing litigation [from Nintendo]”.
The changes in question revolve around Palworld‘s Pal-summoning mechanic, which used to be achieved through the use of a device known as the Pal Sphere, but is now instead done with a “static summon next to the player”.
Pocketpair acknowledges “frustration”, both its own and that of its players, with regards to these changes. However, the studio says that not making the changes “would have led to an even greater deterioration of the gameplay experience”.
The studio goes on to say that Palworld‘s upcoming 0.5.5 update will bring “yet another compromise”. Specifically, you’ll no longer glide using Pals; instead, you’ll need a glider item in your inventory, although Pals “will still provide passive buffs to gliding”.
Just like the first change, Pocketpair says it knows this alteration will be “disappointing”, but that “these changes are necessary in order to prevent further disruptions to the development of Palworld“.
In case you need a reminder, the lawsuit in question was brought against Pocketpair by Nintendo back in September last year. The offending elements of Palworld appear to be specific gameplay mechanics that bear resemblance to Pokemon, including the aforementioned gliding and capture systems.
Despite the ongoing lawsuit, development on Palworld continues. The game recently received a major update allowing players to play with one another across different platforms, and Pocketpair appears to be working on a cursed-looking dating sim spinoff that may or may not be real.
We’ll have to wait and see what happens as a result of this ongoing Nintendo-Pocketpair legal battle, but I’d be very surprised to see Palworld to continue without more major changes.
