Pokémon is one of the most popular media franchises in the world, and its ability to remain relevant for three decades is an achievement any business would aspire to. Whether it's trading cards, the animated series and movies, or the various video games based around the world, Pokémon has become a huge piece of pop culture and many people's lives. One of the most important aspects that make Pokémon feeling so special is its unique identity. For almost 30 years, there had been very few franchises that felt close Pokémon. However, Palworld arrived and ignited a surprising amount of controversy with it.
When Palworld was first revealed, the internet immediately deemed it “Pokémon with weapons.” Admittedly, there are noticeable similarities when it comes to the creature collection and art style, but Palworld have a lot to do that helps create their own identity. This did not stop The Pokemon Company and Nintendo from suing Palworld developer Pocketpair Inc., however. The Pokémon and Palworld lawsuit is still ongoing, but there is a new game that will catch the attention of both The Pokemon Company and Pocketpair Inc. Pickmon is a recently revealed indie title coming in the future, and it could potentially lead to another lawsuit.
Pickmon's similarities to Pokemon and Palworld feel a little too intentional
Pickmon has only been floating around the internet for a little over a day at this point, but it's already in hot water. To be one Pokémon clone or one Palworld-like is one thing, but the gameplay simply looks copied and pasted from the two franchises. That's not the only controversy Pickmon however, has been in. There are already allegations about it Pickmon have stolen fan art concept designs from Pokémon player.
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Palworld is more like an homage, while Pickmon looks like plagiarism
When comparing Palworld and Pokémonit's easy to understand why The Pokemon Company accused Pocketpair Inc. of plagiarism, but Palworldfocus on survival and crafting, weapon mechanics, base building and more mature tone makes it not feel like one Pokémon rip-off. Pickmon However, it looks like it's trying to copy both, and that's going to make things really difficult for the developer ahead of launch. Pickmons title is already a little too obvious, but the use of cards to capture creatures instead of Poke Balls is something that Pokémon fans will instantly recognize.
Palworld had Pal Spheres, but the game eventually had to get rid of the sphere summon to help with legal issues. Pickmons card-based capture methods may help it avoid having to do the same, but Pocketpair Inc. may actually have more grounds to sue than The Pokemon Company does. In it Pickmon reveal trailer, there is a specific creature that looks almost identical to Mammorest. It's one of the most shocking moments in the trailer, and the creature's design makes it hard to defend any accusations of Pickmon plagiarism Palworld. Other creatures look eerily similar Pokémon like Moltres and Rayquaza too. Between the Mammorest clone and Pokémon fans calling out the game for possibly stealing fan art, Pickmon has a really tough start. It ultimately feels like the game is purposefully dancing with plagiarism to create hype, but this is just me speculating.
Other features that Pickmon shares with Palworld
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Creature taming
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Open world map
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Base building
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Survival heavy game
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Automated factories and farms
Even the developer's name, PocketGame, is incredibly close Palworld developer Pocketpair Inc.
Pokemon and Palworld aren't the only games that Pickmon has obviously taken inspiration from
From the trailer alone, Nintendo fans will be quick to spot the strong ones Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild vibes that exist. There are several playable characters shown in the game's trailer, so Pickmon probably has character alignment similar Palworld. However, one of the characters shown looks just like an off-brand version of Link. There are already games like Breath of the Wild out there, but the world design and character selection feel a little too close to the look.
The character design in general feels like the part Breath of the Wild and some Palworld. Of course there are several Palworld mechanics that feel inspired by Breath of the Wildbut Pickmon it doesn't even seem like it's trying to remix these concepts in a fresh way. That is the ultimate problem. Pickmon may prove the players wrong when it starts, but so many similarities may prevent the game from crossing the finish line at all.
Earlier this year, Palworld revealed that its own card game is launching this year, further fueling the comparisons with Pokémon. The trading card game is scheduled for release on July 30 and is published by Bushiroad.
Whether or not Pickmon will actually launch remains to be seen
According to Pickmon Steam page, there is no confirmed release date. The developers haven't even revealed a target window. Right now, the hype that Pickmon has generated tilts definitely more negative than positive. There have already been several similar games Palworld which are clearly inspired by the survival hit, but at least they've featured their own spins and artwork. It may be too early to say for sure, but it's certainly possible that Pocketpair Inc. could be in the same shoes that Nintendo and The Pokemon Company have been in.
So far, neither Pocketpair Inc. nor The Pokemon Company have commented Pickmon. It is natural that popular games inspire others to do similar projects, but Pickmon teeters on a fine line with how much it resembles three huge franchises. Games with creature collections will almost always run into comparisons to Pokémonand for good reason. The latter is the blueprint of what makes the genre so much fun for many people, and it will become controversial if it resembles that franchise too closely. Right now, what Pocketpair Inc. and The Pokemon Company decide to do about Pickmons potential plagiarism is a mystery. It will be a wild turn if the two companies find themselves suing the same game in a similar type of lawsuit that the two are currently involved in.
