Palworld removes Pal gliding because it continues its authorized battle with Nintendo

Nintendo’s legal professionals have killed one other Palworld gameplay mechanic. Pocketpair issued a patch on Thursday that adjustments how gliding works within the cheeky “Pokémon with guns” satire.

You may nonetheless glide in Palworld, however you may now not use your Pal to take action. Beginning with patch v0.5.5, you may solely soar with a boring, inanimate glider in your stock. Though Glider Buddies can nonetheless passively buff gliding, it is now not as enjoyable as flinging out the creature and utilizing their aerodynamics to cross a ravine.

As you’d count on, Pocketpair’s choice traces again to its authorized protection. Nintendo and The Pokémon Firm sued the developer in Japan last year, claiming Palworld infringes on a number of patents. Since then, Nintendo has filed a flurry of patent purposes within the US in an obvious scheme to go world with its authorized assault.

“We perceive that this shall be disappointing for a lot of, simply as it’s for us,” Pocketpair wrote. “However we hope our followers perceive that these adjustments are crucial so as to forestall additional disruptions to the event of Palworld.”

At the moment’s replace is not the primary to bork the sport to attempt to stave off the Mario maker’s authorized barrage. In November, Palworld removed the flexibility to summon Buddies by throwing Spheres, one of many recreation’s extra Pokémon-esque particulars. However gliding is a a lot much less established Pokémon gameplay mechanic. On high of that, it is a frequent one within the trade, present in franchises as numerous as Far Cry, Fortnite and Batman: Arkham.

The lawsuit sparks fears that trade behemoths utilizing the courts to snuff out smaller opponents will change into extra widespread. “Video game patent mechanics has to completely die given the way it’s both abused by main corporations to cripple any competitors or completely wasted like with the Nemesis system from Center-earth video games,” u/DenseCalligrapher219 opined on Reddit.

One other method to view Nintendo’s transfer is that it masks the stench of a stagnant franchise. “If Nintendo goes to sabotage different Pokémon-like video games, the least they might do is get Sport Freak to develop a Pokémon recreation that is not rubbish,” wrote u/VacantThoughts. “The world’s largest franchise with the world’s laziest half-ass devs.”