PS5’s Palworld Launches Globally, but Not in Japan (Yet)

During Tuesday’s PlayStation State of Play presentation, Sony announced the PS5 launch of Palworld, a game that has officially launched on PlayStation platforms in 68 countries and regions worldwide. However, the news omitted one crucial detail: Japan is not part of that list.

Release Date Still Unknown in Japan

The official Japanese account for Palworld tweeted that the release date in Japan “has not yet been decided,” without providing further explanation. Speculation surrounds the patent infringement lawsuit Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed against Palworld developer Pocketpair last week, but the tweet did not confirm or deny the connection.

Avoiding Legal Trouble?

The most recent statement from Pocketpair regarding the issue is still their previous announcement. It’s unclear what’s behind the delay, but fans are left wondering if the lawsuit has something to do with it. The Pokémon Company has a history of being protective of their intellectual property, so it’s possible that Palworld‘s similarity to Pokémon may be a factor.

• PS5 Palworld launched globally in 68 countries and regions, but not in Japan.
• The Japanese release date has not been announced, with the official account citing “undecided” timing.
• Speculation surrounds the connection to the patent infringement lawsuit against Pocketpair.

For more information on this developing story, continue reading…