NGRPalworld Developer Expresses Interest in Nintendo Switch 2 Port Amid Lawsuit
Pocketpair leadership hopes to bring Palworld to Nintendo Switch 2 eventually, even as legal battles with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company continue.
Image: Steam store promotional artwork
Pocketpair has expressed keen interest in bringing its hit survival crafting title Palworld to Nintendo's next-generation hardware. Despite an active patent infringement lawsuit filed by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company in Japan, studio CEO Takuro Mizobe noted that the team considers the upcoming Switch successor an impressive platform and would welcome future discussions about a release.
The ongoing legal conflict originated in September 2024 and centers on gameplay mechanics related to Pokémon titles. Pocketpair previously adjusted in-game systems to mitigate patent disputes, including altering the creature-summoning mechanic in Early Access update v0.3.11 so that creatures appear beside the player rather than through thrown spheres. This design shift also removed specific tactical advantages previously used in combat encounters.
Litigation remains unresolved in the Tokyo District Court, meaning any port discussions are entirely dependent on how the case concludes. Meanwhile, Palworld continues to boast a massive audience, having surpassed 40 million total players and reaching nearly one million concurrent users on Steam following its official 1.0 debut.