Palworld Surprise Launches on PlayStation 5 Amid Nintendo Lawsuit Drama
In a surprise move during yesterday’s Sony State of Play, Palworld, the quirky “Pokémon-with-guns” survival game, finally launched on PlayStation 5, much to the delight of fans who’ve been waiting to explore its wild, creature-taming world on Sony’s console. Priced at $29.99, Palworld invites players into its colorful, chaotic sandbox—where you can catch adorable Pals one minute and have them build weapons of mass destruction the next.
Previously available in early access on Xbox and PC, Palworld has been a topic of conversation, not just for its unique gameplay, but also because of its striking resemblance to Nintendo’s Pokémon. Developer Pocketpair is currently facing a patent infringement lawsuit from Nintendo, but that didn’t stop the PS5 launch from rolling out in 68 countries. Strangely, Japan didn’t make the cut, likely due to the ongoing legal drama, but Sony and Pocketpair are keeping mum on that front.
Palworld’s PS5 launch trailer showcased more of the chaotic fun players can expect, from taming Pals to engage in battles to using them as labor in your base-building efforts. While some designs have raised eyebrows for their similarity to Pokémon, the gameplay veers into completely different territory, offering guns, survival mechanics, and multiplayer co-op.
The timing of the PS5 launch might feel a bit bold, given the recent lawsuit, but Pocketpair isn’t backing down. “It is truly unfortunate that we will be forced to allocate significant time to matters unrelated to game development due to this lawsuit,” the studio said in response to the legal action. “We will do our utmost for our fans, and to ensure that indie game developers are not hindered or discouraged from pursuing their creative ideas.”
For PS5 owners who’ve been curious about Palworld’s unique blend of creature-catching chaos and survival mechanics, now’s the time to jump in. You can check out the official PlayStation 5 launch trailer below.
