In a plot twist that feels like watching Pokémon and ARK: Survival Evolved fight in a courtroom instead of an arena, Palworld’s developers have officially confirmed what many players already suspected—yes, Nintendo is behind some of the game’s recent, frankly deflating, feature cuts.

After weeks of player theories and patch note eyebrow-raises, Pocketpair has come clean on social media, releasing a formal update acknowledging that legal pressure from Nintendo and The Pokémon Company has forced their hand—not just once, but twice.

Pocketpair Comes Clean: “Yes, It’s Because of The Lawsuit”

[Regarding the lawsuit, changes to Palworld and the future]

We would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for the continued support of our fans over the past few months. We apologize for not being able to share as much information as we would like, but we trust…

— Palworld (@Palworld_EN) May 8, 2025

In an official statement posted on X earlier today, the dev team expressed gratitude to fans and painted a pretty clear picture—Palworld is in the middle of a prolonged legal tug-of-war, with Nintendo accusing them of nicking patented monster-catching mechanics. Pocketpair, on the other hand, is standing its ground, saying those patents never should’ve been granted in the first place.

They even call the lawsuit claims baseless, stating that they’re still actively disputing the charges and contesting the validity of the patents. But while that courtroom drama simmers in the background, Palworld has had to make what they politely call “compromises.”

Throwing Spheres Is Now Off the Table

Patch v0.3.11, released on 30 November 2024, was the first major casualty in this legal crossfire. Gone is the iconic ability to chuck Pal Spheres like you’re gunning for a Poké League title. Now? Pals simply poof into existence next to you like awkward co-workers at a team-building seminar.

The patch also tweaked several other unnamed mechanics, but let’s be honest—losing the throwing mechanic is what stings the most. Pocketpair themselves admitted they were “disappointed” to make the change and fully understand why fans are fuming. Still, they argue it was either that, or risk completely derailing Palworld’s future development.

And Now They’re Coming for Your Wings

As if grounded summons weren’t enough, Patch v0.5.5 takes aim at another beloved feature: Pal-assisted gliding. Yep, your flying foxes and winged buddies are now grounded too.

Going forward, players will need an actual glider in their inventory to take to the skies. Pals still offer gliding buffs (how supportive), but they’re no longer your airborne Uber service. The magic’s gone, replaced by a glorified kite.

The devs once again expressed regret, acknowledging how disappointing the change is but reiterating the need to avoid more development disruptions.

Legal Limbo & Stiff Upper Lips

Despite the mounting setbacks, Pocketpair isn’t throwing in the towel—just the throwable mechanics. Their message closed with a heartfelt thanks to their community for sticking with them and promised that new content is still coming, even if it has to wear a legal muzzle for now.

They’ve also taken their fight back to the courtroom, pointing out that not only did their earlier game Craftopia include similar mechanics before Pokémon’s patents were even filed, but that other games had them too. Their argument? Nintendo didn’t invent the monster-catching wheel—they just painted it yellow and gave it cheeks.

What’s Left of Palworld?

Right now, Palworld is like a pet on a leash—still fun, still full of energy, but clearly under the watchful eye of someone very litigious.

The real question is whether these enforced changes will fundamentally alter what made the game a viral hit in the first place. For now, Pocketpair’s walking a tightrope between legal survival and fan satisfaction, hoping that creativity can still thrive within whatever’s left of the rulebook.

And if not? Well, at least we’ll have gliders.