Palworld Mods Restore Features Cut by Pocketpair

Palworld's modding community is taking action, bringing back features that developer Pocketpair had to remove due to a patent lawsuit filed by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.

Last week, Pocketpair acknowledged that recent game updates included modifications mandated by the ongoing legal dispute with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.

Launched on Steam for $30 and immediately available on Xbox and PC Game Pass in early 2024, Palworld shattered sales and concurrent player records. According to Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe, the game's launch was so immensely successful that the developer struggled to manage the enormous profits it generated. Nevertheless, Pocketpair moved quickly to leverage Palworld's breakout popularity, striking a partnership with Sony to establish a new entity named Palworld Entertainment, dedicated to expanding the franchise. The game later released on PS5.

Following Palworld's massive debut, numerous comparisons were drawn between its creatures, known as Pals, and Pokémon, with some critics accusing Pocketpair of copying Pokémon designs. Instead of pursuing a copyright lawsuit, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company opted for a patent-based legal challenge. They are seeking 5 million yen (approximately $32,846) each, plus compensation for late payments, and an injunction to halt Palworld's distribution.

In November, Pocketpair identified the three Japanese patents central to the lawsuit, which relate to capturing creatures in a virtual environment. Palworld originally featured a mechanic where players throw a ball-like item (a Pal Sphere) at monsters in the wild to capture them, reminiscent of the system in the 2022 Nintendo Switch title Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

Six months later, Pocketpair released an update confirming that recent alterations to the game were indeed prompted by legal pressures. The developer verified that the November 2024 Patch v0.3.11, as many players suspected, was a direct consequence of the litigation. This update eliminated the ability to summon Pals by throwing Pal Spheres, replacing it with a static summon near the player. Several other gameplay mechanics were adjusted in this patch as well.

Pocketpair stated that failing to implement these changes in Palworld "would have resulted in a significantly worse gameplay experience for our players."

Pocketpair also disclosed that last week's Patch v0.5.5 introduced further modifications, requiring players to use a glider item for aerial movement instead of relying on Pals. While Pals in the player's party continue to provide passive gliding bonuses, players must now carry a glider in their inventory to glide.

Pocketpair described these updates as "compromises" the studio is compelled to make to avoid a potential injunction that could halt Palworld's development and sales.

Now,仅 a week later, modders have reintroduced the original gliding mechanics to Palworld. As reported by Dexerto, Primarinabee's Glider Restoration mod, available on Nexus Mods, effectively reverts the changes implemented in last week's patch.

"Palworld Patch 0.5.5? What update? That never happened!" the mod's description declares.

"For players who adore soaring through the skies with their Pals, this mod uses a bit of trickery to undo the supposed 'removal' of gliding Pals," it explains. "You'll still need a glider in your inventory, and it's not perfectly identical, but it essentially nullifies Patch 0.5.5 without preventing you from receiving future game updates."

Primarinabee's Glider Restoration mod was published on May 10 and has already garnered hundreds of downloads.

Regarding the restoration of the throw-to-release mechanic for Pals, a mod exists that attempts to replicate the original functionality, though it doesn't fully recreate the pre-patch experience (it omits the ball-throwing animation, instead summoning the Pal at your cursor's location).

The current uncertainty is how long the Glider Restoration mod will remain accessible, given the ongoing lawsuit.

At the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in March, IGN held an in-depth discussion with John "Bucky" Buckley, Pocketpair's Communications Director and Publishing Manager for Palworld.

Our conversation occurred after his conference presentation, 'Community Management Summit: A Palworld Roller Coaster: Surviving the Drop.' During his talk, Buckley openly addressed several challenges Palworld faced, including allegations of using generative AI (which Pocketpair has since thoroughly refuted) and claims of directly copying Pokémon models for its Pals (a accusation the original source later retracted). He also briefly addressed Nintendo's patent infringement lawsuit against the studio, noting it was "a complete shock" to the team and "something nobody had even anticipated."