Palworld Developers Face Death Threats Amid Game’s Popularity
The developers of Palworld, a widely popular 'Pokemon with guns' style game in early access, are reportedly receiving death threats. Despite its massive success, selling over 5 million copies and being available on Xbox Game Pass, the game’s developers are facing serious online harassment.
Pocket Pair, the developers behind Palworld, have blended Minecraft-style survival mechanics with monster-catching thrills. However, the game's striking similarities to Pokemon have sparked controversy among some fans of the iconic franchise. This has escalated to the point where certain developers, particularly the art team, have been targeted with death threats.
現在、弊社のアーティストに対して誹謗中傷が届いており、殺害予告に近いようなツイートも散見されます。
— Takuro Mizobe | Craftopia, Palworld (@urokuta_ja) January 22, 2024
パルワールドに関して様々な意見を頂いておりますが、パルワールドに関する制作物の監修は全て私を含めた複数人で行っており、制作物の責任は私にあります。…
Pocket Pair CEO Takuro Mizobe addressed these threats on Twitter, emphasizing that the game's designs are collectively supervised and he bears responsibility for its production. Mizobe has pleaded for the harassment to stop, noting the negative impact on his team.
In addition to these threats, the game has faced technical challenges, such as multiplayer connectivity issues, due to its overwhelming popularity. Critics and fans have pointed out clear resemblances between Palworld's creatures and Pokemon, leading to accusations of plagiarism. While no legal action has been taken yet, the situation remains tense.
Mizobe and his team at Pocket Pair are focused on future updates to improve and expand Palworld. As the game continues to grow, the developers hope to resolve both its technical issues and the current controversy, aiming for a brighter future for Palworld.
Source: X