In the wake of legal challenges, Palworld modders are stepping up to restore game mechanics that developer Pocketpair was compelled to alter due to a patent lawsuit from Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. Last week, Pocketpair openly acknowledged that recent patches, including changes to gameplay mechanics, were necessitated by the ongoing litigation.

Palworld made a splash upon its launch on Steam for $30 and its simultaneous debut on Xbox and PC Game Pass in early 2024, shattering sales and player concurrency records. The game's overwhelming success led Pocketpair's CEO, Takuro Mizobe, to admit that the company struggled to manage the enormous profits. Capitalizing on this success, Pocketpair quickly struck a deal with Sony to establish Palworld Entertainment, aimed at expanding the game's intellectual property. This move was followed by the game's release on PS5.

Following Palworld's launch, it drew comparisons and accusations of copying Pokémon designs, prompting Nintendo and The Pokémon Company to pursue a patent lawsuit rather than a copyright infringement case. They seek 5 million yen (approximately $32,846) each, plus additional damages and an injunction to halt Palworld's distribution.

In November, Pocketpair confirmed that the lawsuit centered around three Japan-based patents related to capturing Pokémon in a virtual environment. Palworld initially featured a mechanic where players could throw a Pal Sphere to capture monsters in a field, similar to the system in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Six months later, Pocketpair issued an update revealing that recent changes, including those in Patch v0.3.11 released in November 2024, were due to legal pressures. This patch replaced the ability to summon Pals by throwing Pal Spheres with a static summon beside the player, alongside other gameplay modifications.

Pocketpair stated that failing to make these adjustments could have worsened the gameplay experience significantly. Last week’s Patch v0.5.5 further altered the game by replacing Pal-assisted gliding with a glider mechanic, although Pals still offer passive gliding buffs. These changes were described by Pocketpair as "compromises" made to avoid an injunction that could jeopardize the game's development and sales.

In response, modders have swiftly moved to reinstate the original gliding mechanic. Primarinabee’s Glider Restoration mod, spotted by Dexerto and available on Nexus Mods, effectively reverses the changes introduced in Patch v0.5.5. The mod, released on May 10, has already seen hundreds of downloads. Its description humorously denies the existence of Patch 0.5.5, stating, “For those of [you] who love flying with your pals, this mod uses sleight of hand to reverse the sleight-of-hand ‘removal’ of gliding pals.” Although it requires a glider in the inventory, it closely replicates the original gliding experience without hindering future game updates.

While a mod to restore the throw-to-release mechanic exists, it lacks the original ball-throwing animation, instead summoning the Pal directly where the player is looking. The longevity of the Glider Restoration mod remains uncertain amidst the ongoing lawsuit.

At the Game Developers Conference in March, IGN interviewed John “Bucky” Buckley, communications director and publishing manager for Pocketpair. Following Buckley's talk, 'Community Management Summit: A Palworld Roller Coaster: Surviving the Drop,' he discussed various challenges faced by Palworld, including accusations of using generative AI and stealing Pokémon models, both of which have been debunked. Buckley also touched on the unexpected nature of Nintendo’s patent infringement lawsuit, describing it as a "shock" to the studio.