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How a DMCA’d PALWORLD modder got back at Nintendo
Nintendo is a legendarily litigious company – with mods and emulation often falling under the gaze of its burning, all-seeing eye. Nexus Mods, the world’s biggest mod hosting site, has even enacted a ban on Pokémon conversion mods for Palworld, citing Nintendo’s record of “submitting legal challenges”.
No one knows that record better than YouTuber Toasted Shoes, who received a DMCA notice after posting a teaser trailer for his Palworld to Pokémon mod that he was going to release for free to the community. But Nintendo got there first. Before the video could accumulate even 100,000 views, the corporation swept in to take it down. But Toasted Shoes wasn’t one to be stopped, and quickly assembled a team of modders to devise an infernal concoction of bootleg Pokémon, from Hades.
THIS IS SOMEHOW MORE FLAGRANT THAN PIKACHU CARRYING A PICKAXE
TOO LEGIT TO QUIT
In a new video, Shoes has been playing Palworld using a mod that is “not a reference to anything, I promise”. In it, the YouTuber plays through the adventures of “teenage boy in cap” as he roams far and wide and catches “legally distinct” creatures. This ‘lovable’ cast of characters includes Yellow Rat, Braided Sheep, Fire Fox and everybody’s favourite: Fat Cock.
Although these little pocket-sized creatures might ring a bell or two, Toasted Shoes is emphatic: The Legally-Distinct Pocket Creatures Mod Pack is a “Totally Legal” mod pack that doesn’t infringe on anyone’s copyright at all. I’m no lawyer, but I’m pretty sure all the most kosher, legit models put ‘totally legal’ in all caps on their descriptions. That’s how you can tell them apart.
Jokes aside, this is somehow more flagrant than Pikachu carrying a pickaxe. Much more flagrant. Palworld has come under fire for its derivative Pal designs, which are sometimes too close for comfort – but they’re at least nice to look at. They were designed by somebody, rather than strapped together with royalty-free models and set loose upon an unsuspecting public.
Teenage boy in cap’s ordeals culminate in a climactic battle with Saul Goodman (yes, that Saul Goodman), who conjures a giant cease and desist letter out of a small mason jar. It’s a reskin of the game’s Syndicate Tower battle with Rayne, who rides an enormous Grizzbolt. That’s Grizzbolt, mind you, not Electabuzz. Remember that if Nintendo’s lawyers come asking questions.
There’s something about seeing Saul’s little head poking over the top of a menacing l
