New Palworld update removes Pokémon-like summoning mechanic amid legal battle with Nintendo
It has been spotted that the latest update for Palworld has mysteriously removed the game’s original summoning mechanic involving its Pokéball-like Pal Sphere as its developer continues its legal battle with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.
The details:
Pocketpair states in the rather tiny v0.3.11 patch notes for Palworld (spotted by Eurogamer) that the "behaviour of summoning player-owned Pals" has changed. Rather than throwing out a Pal Sphere to summon Pals, they will now spawn right next to the player. Due to this change, the previously used reticle will only be visible when aiming.
Although Pocketpair has not commented on the reason for the change, fans believe it is directly related to the company's patent infringement lawsuit against Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. In the lawsuit, one of the three named patents involves using a sphere-shaped object thrown to capture and summon monsters, with Palworld and Pokémon using Pal Spheres and Pokéballs, respectively.
Some players have interpreted Pocketpair's change as an admission of guilt, as it highlights similarities with the patented mechanic, which could harm the company in court. Others have pointed out that Pocketpair's legal team may have pushed the decision in an attempt to better protect its case.
The lawsuit was filed in September, with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company claiming that Palworld had infringed on several of their patents. However, despite not knowing the full details at the time, Pocketpair confirmed it would fight the legal battle to prevent indie developers from being "hindered or discouraged from pursuing creative ideas." Last month, the developer revealed the three patents it was accused of infringing on, as well as the fact that the Pokémon owners were seeking an injunction against Palworld and damages in excess of ten million JPY.
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