While Palworld developer Pocketpair is still resolved to fight against Nintendo’s patent infringement lawsuit, it’s also admitting that some concessions have been made in the interest of “[avoiding] disruptions to the development and distribution” of the survival sandbox.
Notably, a patch released last November that changed how captured Pals are summoned – by calling them to a character’s side instead of tossing a ball forward to bring them out – was confirmed to be in direct response to the lawsuit’s claims.
Most recently, another patch just released today has also changed Pal-powered gliding: Previously players could craft items that would let them cling to certain critters instead of a glider, but that has been removed, requiring players to use a glider while Pals now grant passive gliding buffs if they’re in your team. Again, this is another “compromise” made in the face of the litigious kaiju that is Nintendo.
“We understand that this will be disappointing for many, just as it is for us, but we hope our fans understand that these changes are necessary in order to prevent further disruptions to the development of Palworld,” Pocketpair writes. “We also want to extend our apologies to our fans for the discomfort and concern this ongoing litigation has caused. We remain committed to developing Palworld and delivering exciting new content to our fans.”
[Regarding the lawsuit, changes to Palworld and the future]
We would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for the continued support of our fans over the past few months. We apologize for not being able to share as much information as we would like, but we trust…
— Palworld (@Palworld_EN) May 8, 2025
