The highly popular video game Palworld, dubbed by fans as "Pokémon with guns," has rapidly gained millions of players. Japanese developer Pocketpair Inc. proudly announced the sale of 5 million copies within just three days. The game has achieved remarkable success on the Steam platform, with 1.6 million concurrent players on PCs, securing its position as the current number one game and marking the third-highest total in Steam's history. Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox division has also contributed to the distribution of Palworld on consoles and its Game Pass subscription service.

Palworld offers players the opportunity to collaborate in capturing monsters, constructing bases, and navigating the challenges of a whimsical fantasy world. What sets it apart from Pokémon, traditionally aimed at a younger audience, is the ability for Palworld players to employ guns to capture and train their creature companions. Currently in early access, the game has not yet announced a full release date.

The game has ignited debates among gamers, with discussions about the perceived similarities circulating in blog posts and on social media. However, not all reactions have been positive, particularly from ardent Pokémon enthusiasts who express outrage at the resemblances. Takuro Mizobe, the CEO of Pocketpair, revealed that developers have been subjected to "slanderous comments against our artists" and even "tweets that appear to be death threats."

In response to the controversy, a representative from Nintendo Co., the primary distributor of Pokémon games, stated that the company is aware of the new title but refrained from commenting on individual cases. Similarly, a spokesperson for Pokémon Co. declined to provide any comment. Despite reaching out for a response, Pocketpair's CEO Mizobe did not provide any comments on the matter.

According to Serkan Toto of Japanese consultancy Kantan Games, Palworld seems to have struck the right chord at the perfect time. Combining a prominent multiplayer element with monster-collecting gameplay has proven to be a winning format, especially when blended with the popular genres of shooters and survival. Interestingly, many gamers argue that Palworld bears a closer resemblance to the well-received title Ark: Survival Evolved.