Pocketpair Would Love to Release Palworld on Nintendo Switch 2, Despite Pokémon Legal Battle

Pocketpair, the developer behind the popular creature-collecting survival game Palworld, is expressing interest in bringing their title to the Nintendo Switch 2, despite a legal battle with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. The Japanese company has been embroiled in a patent infringement lawsuit with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, which centers around how Pokémon games function.

If Nintendo were to win the lawsuit, the payout would be a mere $30,000, but it appears that Nintendo is more likely to lose the case. Pocketpair's CEO, Takuru Mizobe, stated in an interview with VGC that he would be delighted if Palworld were to be released on the Switch 2. He emphasized that the Switch 2 is an exceptional platform, not just globally but particularly in Japan and for the Japanese games industry.

However, the legal dispute must first be resolved before any potential discussions can take place, and it is also presumed that there would be no lingering animosity once the legal proceedings conclude. In September 2024, Nintendo filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Pocketpair, but the complaint was amended in November 2025 following Palworld updates that altered some of the most blatant Pokémon-inspired mechanics.

One such mechanic that was removed was the ability to throw a sphere to summon a creature, which simplified the summoning process as the Pal now simply spawns directly beside the character. This alteration reduced the tactical options available to players, who can no longer summon a Pal to a specific spot to draw aggro or strike an enemy from a different angle.

Although the scope of the lawsuit has been narrowed, the case between Pocketpair and Nintendo, along with The Pokémon Company, remains unresolved in the Tokyo District Court. A preliminary view, a first impression assessment of the situation before all facts are known or a final decision is made, is set to be announced on November 9.

Since its release in July, Palworld has garnered over 40 million players on Steam, with nearly 1 million concurrent players in July alone.