Excitement is brewing in the gaming community as a new Pokémon mod for Palworld is soon to be released by a renowned modder, Toasted Shoes. This mod dramatically transforms the game's creatures into Pokémon, even allowing players to embody the iconic Ash Ketchum and interact with various Pokémon, including Pikachu. Speculation and controversy are already surrounding this mod due to potential copyright issues with Nintendo and Game Freak—the original creators of Pokémon—not likely to permit such modifications. Palworld itself has faced its own controversy, with suggestions that the developer may have used AI to create Pokémon-like creatures.

Palworld, which has recently launched in Early Access on Steam, Xbox consoles, and Game Pass, has seen remarkable success, with five million sales in just three days and a record high of nearly 1.3 million concurrent players on Steam. In the game, players collect beings known as Pals, which can assist with farm work or be used in combat. The game also features dungeon exploration, and Pals can be sold or even shot for resources.

What is Palworld?

Palworld is a multiplayer, open-world survival crafting game where players can collect and breed creatures called Pals. These creatures assist in various tasks, engage in battles, and can even be traded. The game combines elements of farming, crafting, and combat within a fantasy world.

For background context, Palworld has been compared to the Pokémon franchise because of its creature collection and interaction mechanics. However, it differentiates itself with more mature themes such as the ability to use the Pals in combat and for survival purposes. Palworld was developed by Pocketpair and has gained substantial attention both for its gameplay and for the controversies regarding its similarities to Pokémon.