Irina "Zemlia" Sukhanova Palworld has become the most talked-about release of 2024. The game stands out due to its huge active player base and elements similar to Pokémon, which has led to multiple controversies. Due to fears of getting entangled in these disputes, Japanese celebrities have even been prohibited from mentioning Palworld in any form.
Several Japanese bloggers and TV hosts reported this anonymously. Mentioning or even joking about Palworld in live broadcasts and TV shows has been forbidden. According to them, this is because most celebrities are under contract with talent agencies that collaborate with the Pokémon Company, the owner of the Pokémon franchise.
Image credit: jpgames.de
Initially, the ban on mentioning Palworld was informal and came as a recommendation to avoid the project, particularly during game broadcasts. Due to the overwhelming success of the project and increasing comparisons to Pokémon, the ban was intensified and affected almost the entire media franchise in Japan. As a result, Palworld is almost not publicly discussed in Japan, despite the game being developed by a Japanese studio.
The Pokémon Company had previously announced an investigation into Palworld. The owners of the Pokémon brand will check the competitor's game for intellectual property and copyright violations.
Meanwhile, the player count for Palworld has surpassed 19 million people.
Main image by ensiplay
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