Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have taken legal action against Pocketpair, the Japanese developer behind Palworld, a game that has been stirring up a lot of buzz. Why? Because Palworld features adorable, gun-wielding monsters that some players say feel a little too close to the Pokémon we all know and love.

The lawsuit, filed in Tokyo, comes after Palworld had a blockbuster start. The game hit Early Access on January 18, and within a month, it sold a staggering 15 million copies on Steam and attracted 25 million players. But the excitement around the game wasn’t just about its success — the internet was quick to label it a Pokémon parody, and it seems Nintendo and The Pokémon Company took notice.

Just days after the game’s release, The Pokémon Company hinted that they were investigating a game that dropped in January 2024, suggesting there might be some intellectual property issues. Fast forward, and the investigation seems to have wrapped up, with the companies officially filing a lawsuit.

In the lawsuit, Nintendo made it clear they’re seeking an injunction to stop what they see as patent infringement, as well as compensation for damages. Their statement bluntly pointed out that Palworld allegedly infringes on “multiple patent rights.”

For its part, Pocketpair has been pushing back on the Pokémon comparison. The company’s CEO, Takuro Mizobe, previously stated that Palworld is more inspired by games like Ark Survival Evolved and Vanaheim than Pokémon. He also mentioned that Palworld had already “cleared legal reviews” and that no lawsuits were on the table when the game was being developed. Mizobe seems to be standing by that claim, despite the lawsuit now being in motion.

So, what’s Palworld really about? While its creatures — called “Pals” — may have a familiar, Pokémon-esque charm, the game takes a much darker route. You can befriend and protect these Pals, helping them fend off poachers who want to harm them. But you also have the option to go full villain: selling them into slavery, making them fight to the death, or even eating them. Yeah, it’s a far cry from the bright and happy world of Pokémon.