Pokémon's legal chief speaks out about plagiarism
EVERYONE is talking about Palworld right now, whether it's because they play it or because they hate it.
While the gameplay is more of a survival crafting game than anything Pokémon has produced, the beast designs are definitely suspect.
An anonymous Twitter user has overlapped the models of some Palworld Pals with Pokémon models and the proportions and scale are eerily similar.
Aside from the visual similarities to certain Pokémon, the accuracy with which certain design elements match has people concerned about plagiarism.
The model comparisons aren't solid proof that the Palworld team used Pokémon models in their designs, but it is the most compelling evidence yet.
Speak with Game filea former Chief Legal Officer of The Pokémon Company has spoken out about the game.
Don McGowan led Pokémon's legal team for twelve years, from 2008 to 2020.
They say: “This looks like the usual nonsense I saw a thousand times a year when I was Chief Legal Officer of Pokémon.
“I'm just surprised it's gotten this far.”
It's true that there are thousands of Pokémon clones out there, and many of them are advertised on YouTube and available through Google Play and the App Store.
Although these games are free to play, they allow you to make in-game purchases and earn money from them.
These games also directly copy Pokémon's designs, copy them directly, and even use very similar names.
However, none of these games have achieved the popularity of Palworld, one of the most popular titles to ever hit Steam.
With over 1.5 million concurrent players, it is the third most played game of all time on the platform.
On Palworld's part, a company representative, Takuro Mizobe, has denied any wrongdoing.
It is also alleged that the artists are receiving harassment and threats due to the controversy.
The Pokémon Company has not commented on Palworld and appears to have no intention of filing a lawsuit against the company.
If you want to read more about the game, check out our Palworld review.
Written by Georgina Young on behalf of GLHF.
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