Pocketpair's global community manager, John Buckley, recently shared insights into the team's response to the lawsuit filed by Nintendo.  While much of the legal proceedings remain confidential, Pocketpair's current priority is implementing full crossplay functionality for Palworld, expanding the game's reach and connectivity.

The studio seems to have shifted its focus towards providing substantial updates and enhancements to Palworld, striving to maintain a high standard for its dedicated player base. Although discussions surrounding the lawsuit have quieted down, members of the development team are now more open to sharing their perspectives on the situation.

During the 2025 Game Developers Conference (GDC), Buckley discussed Pocketpair's reaction to the patent infringement lawsuit.  He described the day the suit was filed as "very depressing," highlighting that many team members are avid Pokemon fans. He added that the lawsuit "changed a lot of things for us."  The fact that so many on the team are passionate about the very game they're being sued over has undoubtedly shaped their perspective.

There are undeniable similarities between Palworld and Pokemon.  However, Pocketpair maintains that the game underwent extensive legal review before release.  Their legal team needed time to analyze the lawsuit and determine that it centered on recently filed patents by Nintendo. While public speculation focused on potential similarities in the designs of Pals (Palworld's creatures) and Pokemon, the core issue of the lawsuit is Nintendo's creature-capture system.

Patent Analyst Florian Meuller, in an interview with Game Rant, characterized Nintendo's legal action as "a clear case of bullying."  This sentiment resonates with many players.  Despite receiving public support, Pocketpair continues to face criticism. The intensity of the reaction has led Pocketpair to employ security measures and scale back public appearances, including their presence at the 2024 Tokyo Game Show.  The lawsuit remains unresolved, and Buckley expressed concern that few companies could withstand such legal pressure, potentially discouraging developers from creating games inspired by either franchise.