Palworld Is Now Available on PS5 in Japan After Delayed Launch

Update (4/10/24): Palworld is now available on PS5 in Japan.

The game successfully launched on Sony's console last week in most regions, but it was indefinitely delayed in the country, likely due to complications surrounding Nintendo's ongoing lawsuit.

Developer Pocket Pair has confirmed its game is now available in Japan:

Original Story: One of the major surprise announcements from last night's State of Play was the sudden reveal and release of Palworld for PS5. While it's now available to purchase and play in many territories, it's skipping Japan for now, for a pretty big reason.

Earlier this month, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company entered into legal proceedings against Pocket Pair, the development studio behind Palworld. The lawsuit is built upon supposed patent infringements, with Nintendo seeking compensation for damages. The results of all this messiness is yet to be seen, but in the meantime, Palworld will not release on PS5 in Japan.

An official social post (translated by Google) states the game has been released on Sony's console in 68 other countries, but won't be available in Japan until further notice. "We apologize to everyone in Japan who was looking forward to it, but all of our staff will do our best to deliver it to PS5 users as soon as possible, so we hope you will wait for a little longer," it reads.

It's not a huge surprise; hopefully the legal battle between Nintendo and Pocket Pair will resolve relatively quickly, though that's maybe wishful thinking.

Will you be checking out Palworld on PS5? Does the delayed Japan release affect you? Discuss in the comments section below.

[source x.com, via gamesradar.com]