By Sagar Mankar 
The modding community has struck again in the ongoing saga of unlicensed Pokémon content in Palworld.
After Nintendo cracked down on a Pokémon mod for the indie sensation Palworld last week, the original modder has released a new mod with “legally distinct” pocket creatures.
In the previous week, YouTuber ToastedShoes took the Pokémon resemblances in Palworld to an extreme by introducing an unlicensed Pokémon mod.
The mod’s footage lingered on the internet for approximately a day before Nintendo took action to remove it.
Despite this setback, ToastedShoes was undeterred and retaliated with “The legally-distinct pocket creatures into Palworld Mod Pack.”
Nintendo found my Tik Tok 😂😭 pic.twitter.com/5V1ZQksKHy
— Toasted (@ToastedShoes) January 30, 2024
New Mod Avoids Copyright With Legally Distinct Pocket Creatures
The latest mod pack replaces Palworld’s Pals with classics like Blue Penguin, Floral Raptor, and Yellow Rat.
ToastedShoes even replaced the protagonist’s trademark hat to avoid any similarity to Pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum.
By using new names and designs distinct from Pokémon IP, the mod aims to creatively circumvent copyright claims.
Ongoing Popularity Fuels Modding Community
Palworld continues to see immense popularity, with over 2 million concurrent players on Steam alone.
However, connection issues and cheaters have led to apologies and pledges from developer Pocketpair to address problems.
The thriving player base has fueled the modding community’s creativity.
Prior to the Pokémon mod takedown, Nexus Mods had declared they would not host such unlicensed mods.
But the latest legally distinct creatures mod has been allowed, showing the cat-and-mouse game at play.
Pushing the Boundaries With Clever Workarounds
The new mod exemplifies the clever workarounds modders use to ride the line between copyright violation and creative new content.
By altering designs and names, ToastedShoes aims to capture the spirit of the iconic pocket creatures without actually using the IP.
Only time will tell if this latest mod manages to avoid Nintendo’s watchful eye.
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