Modders and Devs show evidence that Palworld copies Pokémon

Dr Bass

The doctor is in
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20 Jun 2022
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Yeah the question is the legality. The dialogue I keep seeing is very mixed over what the issue. Some are claiming because the game isn't original, it's copyright infringement. Some are arguing AI "stole" from Pokemon designs, so it is copyright infringement. Others are arguing, like this example, that direct assets have been used, so it's copyright infringement. I guess they could all be simultaneously true, but I think they're somewhat mutually exclusive. I personally do not see a lot of the visual similarity and as I said here some of the claims come across as hysterical and people saying that having a cute sheep monster is infringing on Pokemon (because apparently Pokemon owns the copyright to sheep) undermines their credibility by making it look hysterical. Certainly more inclined to believe copying models is wrong, but looks as if people are looking for a reason to dislike the game.
Well, all I know is that I didn't know anything about this game, and the first time I saw it in the last couple days my initial reaction was "what is this Pokemon game?" 🤷‍♂️

I've also never played Pokemon and never will. But just looking at it, that's how it comes across to me without a doubt.

As for everything else, I have no idea. Not a lawyer and don't know how it works in that particular area.

Sure, but comparing Lies of P to what Palworld is doing, I would say is something on a completely different level to just copying.
I do agree.
 
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Gods&Monsters

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It's obvious to everyone that the crook devs modified Pokemon models for their asset flip game.

Why is it taking so long for Nintendo to react tho? Send a letter to Valve and Microsoft so they stop selling the game.
 

Nimrota

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It's obvious to everyone that the crook devs modified Pokemon models for their asset flip game.

Why is it taking so long for Nintendo to react tho? Send a letter to Valve and Microsoft so they stop selling the game.
Check your priors. The reason Nintendo isn't doing anything is because, contrary to Twitter people who are not lawyers, it's likely not illegal and Nintendo has no ground to stand on.
 

Systemshock2023

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I guess they would have filed lawsuits against digimon and monster rancher back in the day. Next thing you know, nintendo invented running and jumping in videogames.
 
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KiryuRealty

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Where it’s at.
Check your priors. The reason Nintendo isn't doing anything is because, contrary to Twitter people who are not lawyers, it's likely not illegal and Nintendo has no ground to stand on.
Stolen descriptions from Pokèmon turning up in game files is definitely legally actionable.

Sorry to burst your bubble.
 
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Zzero

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Existing law on this, at least in the US, goes back to blatant SF 2 and MK ripoffs in the mid-90s. The long and short of it is that both visuals and game mechanics can get incredibly close and what PP did probably passes muster under current precedents. Code is a different story.
 

Nimrota

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Stolen descriptions from Pokèmon turning up in game files is definitely legally actionable.

Sorry to burst your bubble.
No bubble to burst. If they've done what you say, and it is legally actionable, I'll wait to see it. But I have a feeling nothing is going to eventuate here.
Existing law on this, at least in the US, goes back to blatant SF 2 and MK ripoffs in the mid-90s. The long and short of it is that both visuals and game mechanics can get incredibly close and what PP did probably passes muster under current precedents. Code is a different story.
And this is precisely what I mean. Usually for copyright AFAIK infringement needs to be "substantial". How do you weigh some text lines in a full game as being substantial infringement?
 

Box

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It's interesting how Palworld has become a poster child for ai in gaming and a target as a result.

Ricky road ahead finding out where ai should and shouldn't be used.

Whats stopping the average Joe from doing the same and making his own AI based game with stolen assets?

I agree it's a very slippery slope
 
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Nimrota

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Whats stopping the average Joe from doing the same and making his own AI based game with stolen assets?

I agree it's a very slippery slope
Asset flip games have existed for a long time and they never work as a scam because they're low quality. Look at The Day Before as an example. Massive hype, completely dead a month later and made zero money after refunds. Either the game is bad because it's a low effort cash grab, and it fails, or if it's extremely blatant it gets legally taken down (look at Dark and Darker as a potential example).
 

Zzero

Major Tom
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Whats stopping the average Joe from doing the same and making his own AI based game with stolen assets?

I agree it's a very slippery slope
Are you taking code or just repurposing art? If I own a copy of Civ III and get an AI to mod it to have what it thinks is a "Spiderman" then what is wrong? Is it bad if I mod in Spiderman myself?
 
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Lawsuit imminent. Say goodbye to those purchased copies. Valve finna get taken to court at long last.

Something immediately felt off about this game. In hindsight, starting to see why Sony didn't do much to get this game on PlayStation out of the gate. Nintendo lawyers about to go crazy on these devs.
 

AllBizness

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Lawsuit imminent. Say goodbye to those purchased copies. Valve finna get taken to court at long last.

Something immediately felt off about this game. In hindsight, starting to see why Sony didn't do much to get this game on PlayStation out of the gate. Nintendo lawyers about to go crazy on these devs.
Theres a reason Sony treads lightly with early access titles.
 

Dr Bass

The doctor is in
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Are you taking code or just repurposing art? If I own a copy of Civ III and get an AI to mod it to have what it thinks is a "Spiderman" then what is wrong? Is it bad if I mod in Spiderman myself?
Are you selling it? :p
 
24 Jun 2022
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Check your priors. The reason Nintendo isn't doing anything is because, contrary to Twitter people who are not lawyers, it's likely not illegal and Nintendo has no ground to stand on.

No, this is something else. The devs of this game appear to have outright ripped models from Pokemon games and changed them slightly, without Nintendo's consent. That's illegal. They can be sued for this.

It would've taken some time for any people at Nintendo to find this out since the game only went on sale a few days ago anyhow.

Imagine being a Nintendo fan and seeing this. Heart attack worthy.

Is that a mod or in the game outright? Because if the latter, even more grounds for litigation. Those characters are IP which were copyrighted and protected under the law.

Between this and a supposed $675 million budget, this game (or even the dev studio) sounds like a modern day cocaine-fueled get-rich-quick scheme that'll end in disaster.
 
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historia

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That's Nintendo and TPC lawyers themesong.

You never see the light of daysss... Padding pockets, stone on feet, blue skyyyyy.....

Remember that Mario on Dreams, that got nuked off the face of the fucking Earth.
 

Zzero

Major Tom
9 Jan 2023
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That's Nintendo and TPC lawyers themesong.

You never see the light of daysss... Padding pockets, stone on feet, blue skyyyyy.....

Remember that Mario on Dreams, that got nuked off the face of the fucking Earth.
This game doesn't have Mario (or Pikachu) in it, clearly a very different case. Maybe more like Flappybird but even then not an exact match.