Pocketpair has announced a major update for Palworld as it prepares to leave early access and officially launch Version 1.0 sometime in 2026.
The news comes amid the ongoing legal battle with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company over the survival game’s patent.
So, what does the new version entail, and how is the patent lawsuit progressing right now?
What Players Can Expect in Palworld Version 1.0 Update?
In a post on X and YouTube, Pocketpair’s Communications and Publishing Manager, John “Bucky” Buckley, revealed their plans to release Palworld Version 1.0 in 2026 but emphasized that they want to address the game’ issues first.
“It’s no secret that Palworld has a lot of quirks and jank, and we want to take the time to properly address those before releasing the game,” he said. “We think taking the time now to fix those problems will ultimately lead to a better game.”
That said, 2025 is expected to be a quieter year for the game. This will likely result in a smaller-scale winter update compared to December 2024’s Feybreak update, though Bucky teased that there would still be “a few surprises.”
“1.0 will be a major milestone,” he continued. “And we have a truly massive amount of content planned for the 1.0 update.”
By the looks of it, Pocketpair is currently focused on bug fixes and refinements, laying the foundation for the big update, which could include long-awaited improvements.
What is the Pokémon Patent Lawsuit About?
In November 2024, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Pocketpair in Japan, alleging that Palworld infringes on several patents related to Pokémon gameplay mechanics, including the method of capturing creatures using ball-like objects.
The game has often been described as “Pokémon with guns” due to its creature-catching gameplay combined with firearms combat and darker themes, which many see as similar to the signature mechanics of Pokémon.
As a result, Nintendo is seeking an injunction to block further distribution of the game and is demanding damages of 5 million yen (about $33,000) for each alleged infringement, along with additional late payment penalties.
Reports indicate that the case involves three patents approved by the Japan Patent Office: two related to monster capture and release, and one related to riding characters.
Since then, Pocketpair has made changes to Palworld’s disputed mechanics. The November 2024 patch removed the ability to summon Pals by throwing Pokéball-like Pal Spheres. Instead, Pals now materialize next to the player when summoned.
The gliding mechanic has been changed, too. Players now use Pal-buffed Glider equipment instead of directly grabbing onto Glider Pals.
Despite the legal battle, Palworld has achieved massive success since its release in January 2024, selling 8 million copies in just six days and reaching 25 million players within a month.