Nintendo and its partner The Pokemon Company have filed a legal suit against the maker of hit survival adventure game Ballworld, alleging copyright infringement.
Ballworld earned the nickname “Pokémon with guns” when its first trailer was released in 2021.
Days after the game’s release in January of this year, the Pokemon Company said it would investigate the copycat claims.
Palworld’s developer, Pocketpair Inc, did not immediately respond to a BBC News request for comment. Pocketpair’s boss previously said the game had passed legal tests.
Palworld “infringes several copyrights”, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company said in statements posted on their websites.
“This suit seeks injunctive relief and damages against infringement”.
Ballworld has been a huge successWith over 25 million players within a month of release.
Similar to the popular franchise of Pokémon video games, it focuses on collecting strange creatures with different powers.
Pocketpair’s website describes the game as “seamlessly combining elements of combat, monster-trapping, training and base-building”.
Players known as “Ball-Tamers” travel around a large map battling human enemies and creatures called “Balls” that can be captured and recruited.
Monsters can fight alongside the player in battles or be put to work on a site, crafting items and materials for use on the field.
In January, The Pokemon Company said it planned to investigate allegations that Ballworld had copied its games.After fans pointed out the similarities.
The Pokémon Company said at the time that it would take “appropriate action” if it found its copyright had been infringed.
