Palworld has been getting all sorts of traction on and around the internet, and people have even compared the game to Pokemon. The title now known as “Pokemon with Guns” has topped the Steam charts for the highest player count and is destined for more success because of its appeal. However, since a lot of people have drawn comparisons to the Pokemon franchise, it is natural that modders will take control and make the game resemble Nintendo’s original IP. A Palworld mod that completely transforms the game into Pokemon recently did the rounds online, and Nintendo was quick to crack down on it.
Anyone on the internet who has so much as mentioned the mod has received a DMCA notice from Nintendo. This merciless crackdown shows how persistent the Japanese video game company is in not letting others use their copyrighted content without going through the proper channels. Essentially, the Pokemon mod brings a host of features from Nintendo’s IP to the game. While the protagonist is modeled after Ash, he is also accompanied by Brock and Misty. Furthermore, the first boss fight is against Jesse from Team Rocket. However, people are still underestimating the severity of the situation.
A lot of people drew comparisons to Nintendo’s IP when Palworld hit the markets, so much so that it got the name “Pokemon with Guns.” However, when the “Pokemon” part was reiterated through third-party mods, Nintendo stepped in to stop their IP from being represented illegally. In addition, Nexus Mods, one of the biggest websites that host mods for games, refused to host this ‘Pokemon’ mod, as they feared that Nintendo might come after them with a lawsuit.
Nintendo takes its IPs very seriously and any copyright violations have always resulted in strict action from the company. This has been the standard of procedure for Nintendo for a long time.
X User HazzadorGamin served a DMCA for sharing the Pokemon Mod Tweet
I received DMCA from Nintendo. pic.twitter.com/QxRYk3DkrZ
— HazzadorGamin, Dragon of Dojima (@HazzadorGamin) January 24, 2024
X User HazzadorGamin received a DMCA notice from Nintendo for sharing information about the Pokemon mod. This shows how serious Nintendo is about this mod getting out to the public, as they went after an X user who didn’t even share a link. Thankfully, others took this as a warning sign and have gotten more conscious about mentioning the mod in their social media posts.
For those unaware, a DMCA is essentially a law that protects against online theft and abuse of IP copyrights. What modders are doing with this Pokemon mod is essentially a violation of Nintendo’s policies. Moreover, if people don’t take action and delete their posts after the notice, they can open themselves up to further legal action. That is why, a lot of modders are hesitant to post content relating to their favorite games.
Lol, they are seething from the success of Palworld.
— Rambling Entertained (@No1Rambler) January 24, 2024
Nintendo is afraid.
— GameZard (@game_zard) January 25, 2024
Shocking! I’m shocked pic.twitter.com/6pDIrDS3zq
— MrMementoMori (@JasonAlicea85) January 24, 2024
All the X reactions indicate that fans believe Nintendo is jealous of Palworld’s success. However, the Japanese video game company recently issued a statement addressing the mod, where they said, “We have received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024. We have not granted any permission for the use of Pokémon intellectual property or assets in that game.” Nintendo also insisted that they would investigate the issue and take appropriate measures wherever necessary.
The Pokémon Company issued a statement regarding Palworld
⁰“We have received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024. We have not granted any permission for the use of Pokémon intellectual property or assets in that game. We intend to… pic.twitter.com/iUplQIkLDX— Rino (@RinoTheBouncer) January 25, 2024
We do not know what actions Nintendo will take but it will be interesting to see how the developers of Palworld respond to this.
