Palworld is among the controversial projects. The game is popular among players, but a lawsuit with Nintendo, accusing the studio of copyright infringement, overshadows its reputation.
Yoshiki Okamoto, a developer at Capcom (Street Fighter 2, Resident Evil), now chairman of the Japan Game Culture Foundation, reacted to the situation. On his YouTube channel, he stated:
"Palworld has crossed a line that should not be crossed, and I don't want the world to become a place where this is acceptable."
He added:
"If an agreement is reached with Nintendo, the game will become legal. But right now, it's a project under lawsuit. By playing it, you are supporting this, so please don't buy it."
Okamoto emphasized that even if Pocketpair wins the dispute, it could reduce resistance to copyright infringement and pave the way for similar projects in the future.
Not all players agree with Okamoto. Some noted that he used a distorted kanji character for Pocketpair, which Japanese fans perceived as an "anti-social force," while others recalled that his games, such as Street Fighter 2, also "borrowed" elements from competitors.
Okamoto suggested that since Pocketpair is preparing for the full launch of Palworld, the studio may have found a way to peacefully resolve the dispute with Nintendo.
