Nexus Mods, a prominent modding site, has officially stated that it will not host Pokémon-themed Palworld mods due to the potential legal risks associated with such content. The decision stems from Nintendo’s well-documented history of taking legal action against fan-made content.
Palworld, known for its Pokémon-like creatures called Pals, has garnered attention for the striking resemblance of these creatures to Pokémon, prompting modders to replace them with authentic Pokémon designs.
The appearance of the first Pokémon-themed Palworld mod sparked a swift response from Nintendo’s legal team. YouTuber ToastedShoes, who showcased the mod on social media, quickly faced action from Nintendo, resulting in the removal of all related footage “in response to a report by the copyright owner.”
In light of this legal climate, Nexus Mods has chosen not to host Pokémon-themed Palworld mods. The community lead, Mathew Elliott, acknowledged the appeal of adding Pokémon content to Palworld but emphasized the discomfort in hosting such material.
The statement highlighted Nintendo’s consistent legal challenges, DMCA notices, and takedowns against fan-made content. Nexus Mods expressed concerns that hosting content introducing copyrighted characters or assets into Palworld would likely expose them to legal action from Nintendo.
While Nexus Mods has ruled out Pokémon and Palworld mods, it remains open to exploring other creative opportunities that contribute to the game’s world and gameplay without infringing on existing intellectual property.
The company expressed excitement about the potential of the Palworld modding community to develop unique content within legal boundaries.
Palworld itself has experienced a successful launch, achieving over 2 million concurrent players on Steam, marking the second-highest number in the platform’s 21-year history. However, it still has a considerable gap to bridge to surpass the record of 3,257,248 concurrent players set by PUBG in 2018.
