The wait is finally over for Japanese PlayStation 5 players! Palworld, the captivating open-world survival game, has officially launched on the console in Japan after a delay of about a week and a half. The official Palworld X (formerly Twitter) account announced the news on Friday, sharing the excitement with fans. This launch comes despite a lawsuit filed by Nintendo against developer Pocketpair in a Tokyo court, alleging patent infringement. While the account apologized for the delay without offering an explanation, they assured fans that future big updates for the PS5 version are still in the works.
Palworld took the gaming world by storm when it launched in early access on PC via Steam, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox Game Pass in January. This vibrant and cheery game quickly gained popularity thanks to its unique blend of monster-catching gameplay, base building, and crafting. The anticipation for a PlayStation release was palpable, with a Palworld community manager teasing its arrival in June with a couple of blue hearts. Finally, on September 24th, the PS5 version surprised players by dropping on the PlayStation Store for $30. As of now, it holds the spot for the third best-selling new game on the console, trailing behind EA Sports FC 25 and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.
The exciting news doesn’t stop there! Pocketpair is partnering with Krafton, the studio behind PUBG: Battlegrounds, to develop a mobile version of Palworld. While still in its early stages, this collaboration signals the game’s potential for broader accessibility.
However, the PS5 launch has been overshadowed by the legal battle with Nintendo. On September 19th, Nintendo filed a lawsuit claiming that Pocketpair infringed on “multiple patent rights.” Although Nintendo didn’t specify the patents in question, speculation suggests it may be related to a patent filed by Nintendo and The Pokemon Company for “a video game character throwing an item to catch a monster while out in field.” This is reminiscent of gameplay in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, which features similar mechanics. Pocketpair responded to the allegations, stating they were unaware of which patents were supposedly infringed upon.
Despite the lawsuit, Palworld is continuing to expand its reach and captivate players with its delightful gameplay and charming art style. The future looks bright for this game, with a mobile version in development and potential for further growth on the PS5 platform. As the game navigates these legal challenges, players are eager to explore its vibrant world and embark on their own monster-catching adventures.
