Key Takeaways
- Krafton is bringing Palworld to mobile devices, though no release date has been confirmed.
- The Pokemon-inspired open-world survival title was recently ported to PlayStation 5.
- Palworld’s developer, Pocketpair, is currently being sued, as Nintendo alleges that the studio is guilty of infringing on various patents.
Palworld is officially coming to mobile devices, with the developer behind PUBG Mobile confirming that a port of one of 2024’s most notorious games is in the works. The ultra-popular Pokemon-adjacent survival game will debut on mobile devices in the near future thanks to a new licensing agreement between Krafton and Pocketpair. The news follows the surprise release of Palworld on PlayStation 5 and comes amid a legal dispute between the game’s developer and Nintendo.
Few games have managed to stir up quite as much controversy as Palworld. Officially released at the start of 2024, Palworld became one of the most successful games on PC and Xbox, praised for its fun visuals and survival mechanics. The fact that Palworld launched on Microsoft’s subscription-based Game Pass service likely helped boost Palworld‘s success, though it wasn’t surprising to many that a Pokemon-inspired game with guns would be a hit. Palworld quickly became one of Steam’s most played titles, and while it’s certainly dropped in terms of concurrent players, the game remains popular, leading to its release on PlayStation 5 and soon on mobile devices.
According to Krafton’s announcement, the development team at PUBG Studios strives to “faithfully reinterpret and implement the original’s fun elements to fit the mobile environment. ” A release date was not shared, though Palworld fans can now look forward to continuing their survival journeys on their handheld devices. This announcement comes at a very tumultuous time for the game, with Nintendo suing Palworld‘s developers over its similarities to the Pokemon franchise.
Palworld Mobile Port Confirmed Amid Nintendo Lawsuit
While it’s easy to see the Pokemon inspiration in the visuals of Palworld, Nintendo alleges Pocketpair is actually guilty of infringing on various patents held by the company. Palworld developers responded, claiming they had not yet been made aware of the specific infringements in Nintendo’s lawsuit. In a recent interview, Pocketpair’s Global Community Manager John “Bucky” Buckley discussed the company’s rapid expansion and the effect it has had on the studio, as well as what it intends to do now that it’s facing legal action from Nintendo. “It’s been an absolute whirlwind,” said Buckley. “Things were really quiet and relaxed for us last year and then Palworld launched.”
Buckley stated Nintendo’s lawsuit would not have any effect on the studio’s plans for Palworld. “We refuse for any plans to be changed. We march on,” he said. Palworld is already a big success on PlayStation 5, though the console version of the game is noticeably not available in Japan. After discussing PS5 sales, Buckley mentioned that Japan had more active Palworld players than any other country except China, suggesting that Palworld may already be starting to feel the effects of Nintendo’s lawsuit. While Palworld‘s future is unknown, the confirmation of a mobile port indicates good things for fans of the title.
