Palworld | The hottest game right now—somewhere in the realm of god-tier titles.
Haebom
Palworld was released by Pocketpair in early access on January 18, 2024, shattering various records and earning the affection of countless gamers. The premise is simple: in Palworld, monster-like creatures called 'Pal' live in the world, and you can catch them, build friendships to fight together, have them work for you, or even use them as crafting materials.
It's an open-world collection MMORPG simulation shooter, I guess? Personally, I think it's genuinely fun. Honestly, it's more open and enjoyable than any recent game I've played. The thing is, as you play, all kinds of things pop into your mind. Seeing the Pal reminds you of Pokémon, the sheer freedom recalls The Legend of Zelda (Switch version), the VFX feels like Genshin Impact, the shooting is like Call of Duty, building and running farms or facilities is like Ark, and the whole worldview and management style really remind you of Minecraft.
혹자는 이런 짬뽕로고를 만들기도 했습니다. 굳이 번역하면 <포케다의전설 아크의 숨결: 콜오브트레프트|신> 이랄까요?
Honestly, this whole situation reminds me of when Genshin Impact first launched. Back then, everyone was debating its similarities to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. There was lots of talk about plagiarism because the early tutorials, monsters, and gameplay felt familiar, but in the end, people agreed it was just a similarity in genre. Nintendo, who actually owned the Zelda IP, didn't make an issue out of it. So, over time, the conversation about plagiarism versus genre similarity just faded among players.
I think one big reason was that, as Genshin Impact’s story progressed, the variety of playable characters, unique VFX, and expansive story shifted the focus away from the game’s early similarities. Either way, since MiHoYo (Genshin’s developer) and Nintendo are on good terms, it didn't really matter and the topic faded. (In fact, Genshin Impact went on to successfully launch on the Nintendo Switch as well.)
This time, the controversy is even bigger. The Pokémon fandom is multiple times larger and has existed much longer than the Legend of Zelda fandom. In reality, it’s still just fans and users who are upset—Nintendo, who actually holds the rights, remains silent again.
이런게 보니까 비슷한 부분이 있기도 한데...
Palworld's developers have been accused of copying Pokémon designs. Some creatures in Palworld really do look strikingly similar to popular Pokémon. While you could say this is just fans going overboard, from a legal and copyright standpoint, it's actually extremely hard to prove. Honestly, they might feel similar at first glance, but if you look at the details, they're not the same at all. Legal experts also say it's unlikely anyone could prove Palworld copied the exact designs from Pokémon.
There's also suspicion that Palworld developers used generative AI technology to design most of the game. Pocketpair's CEO has praised generative AI, and their earlier game, Craftopia, also drew attention for using AI tech. Basically, this means that much of the content was generated by AI, then rendered and rigged. Given the current laws, calling this outright plagiarism is even less likely.
On a side note, Palworld has also been criticized for encouraging animal abuse. In-game, you can put Pals to work and have to look after their physical and mental health. To put it bluntly, you can make them do forced labor. It's almost like what Team Rocket does—whereas, in the Pokémon universe, Pokémon are seen as both nature and friends. So, a lot of Pokémon fans have an issue with this aspect, too.
Palworld might become a big turning point for the gaming industry. Whether it's an obvious attempt to ride on Pokémon's popularity, another indie hit from a small studio that pays attention to what gamers want, or something that sits somewhere in the middle—right between inspiration and imitation—is something only time will tell.
Personally, while playing Palworld and watching the credits, a lot of thoughts crossed my mind. The fact that a game of this size could be made at this scale especially made me realize how much the typically labor-intensive parts of game development have been alleviated thanks to advances in AI and game engines. As someone who used to work in the industry, I was really impressed by that.
Whatever the case, one thing's for sure—it's really a ton of fun. If you like open-world games or are a fan of the Pokémon style, I definitely recommend trying it out. (Someone please open a private server. Let's play together!)
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I post articles related to IT 💻, economy 💰, and humanities 🎭.
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haebom@kakao.com
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I post articles related to IT 💻, economy 💰, and humanities 🎭.
If you are curious about my thoughts, perspectives or interests, please subscribe.
haebom@kakao.com
2
jin
짬뽕 갓겜의 등장... 하지만 너무 맛있다!
개인적으로는 게임의 특정 아이디어를 모방해도 가장 중요한 게임성을 올리기 참 어렵다고 생각하는데요.
이런 디테일은 모방하기가 참 어려운 부분이라... 2차 창작으로 봐야하지 않을까 싶습니다.
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