Palworld community lead says really, "We didn't AI generate any Pals" and "no lawsuit ever existed" following viral Pokemon comparisons

Palworld's global community manager has shut down lingering rumors regarding alleged generative AI usage and potential legal action against the hit survival game, asserting that "Real life isn't Twitter."

Back when Palworld launched, many were quick to point out similarities between certain Pal designs (the survival game's collectable creatures) and specific Pokemon. Some alleged that developer Pocketpair may have used artificial intelligence to create the designs, something which CEO Takuro Mizobe recently addressed, stating that "in reality, we do not use it," and that the team's "artists draw thousands of sketches."

Some even anticipated that The Pokemon Company could take legal action against Palworld after it released a statement saying: "We intend to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to the Pokemon." However, it was never confirmed that Pokemon was actually referring to Palworld – the statement simply addressed the fact that the company had "received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024."

Now, Palworld game designer and community manager 'Bucky' has spoken out after overhearing someone claim that Palworld "used AI to generate all its Pals and went through a big lawsuit" while at the recent BitSummit event in Kyoto, Japan. "We didn't AI generate any Pals. Our artists are fantastic and we're so lucky to have them," Bucky responds on Twitter. "No lawsuit ever existed. Sorry. Real life isn't Twitter."

Bucky adds, "It's very understandable that [some] people still believe the accusations thrown at us in January," pointing to "viral Twitter posts" that some may get their news. However, with this response from the community manager combined with the recent comments from Mizobe also denying the usage of AI to create Pals, it seems pretty clear that Pocketpair is trying its best to shake off any lingering allegations.

Palworld lead shoots down legal concerns following Pokemon comparisons: "We have absolutely no intention of infringing upon the intellectual property of other companies."

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I'm GamesRadar+'s Deputy News Editor, working alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.