Japanese celebrities have been reported to receive instructions from their talent agencies to refrain from mentioning Palworld in public or on social media to avoid potential backlash from Pokémon.
Palworld Refrained from Being Mentioned by Japanese Celebrities Amid Controversy with Pokémon
Japanese Celebrities Refrained from Mentioning Palworld in Public and Social Media
According to news outlet Tokyo Sports in a report last week, a Japanese talent agency source revealed that celebrities and entertainment talents were advised against bringing up Palworld in public or on social media due to the controversial nature of the game.
Amid the controversy that led to numerous online discussions among players and the game industry altogether, The Pokémon Company issued a statement on January 25, indicating its investigation on Palworld, and any acts that infringe on Pokémon IP, for that matter.
In response to these developments, Japan's entertainment industry reportedly took precautions. A senior executive at an undisclosed entertainment agency told their talent to not mention Palworld on social media or in public. In light of the controversy, the executive said: "This is our office's consideration for Pokémon's side. It was a decision made in consideration of future collaborations."
The entertainment agency did not want to "make an enemy" out of Pokémon especially considering the franchise's large fan base, according to Tokyo Sports.
Palworld is an open-world creature-catching shooter game developed by Tokyo-based developers Pocket Pair. The game was released on January 19 and gained significant traction, selling over 7 million copies in just five days after its launch. From then on, in meteoric fashion, the game reportedly reached 19 million players worldwide in just less than two weeks of its release.
The game became an instant hit, attracting a wide audience worldwide, despite allegations on plagiarism and AI use hanging over its successful launch.
Copyright infringement receives considerably severe punishment in Japan. According to the Copyright Law of Japan Art.119, "Any person who infringes a copyright, right of publication or neighboring rights shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of up to ten years or a fine of up to ten million yen, or both."
Source:
Tokyo Sports: ポケモン酷似ゲームで日本の芸能プロが「関わるな」とお達し 〝本家〟に配慮
VGC: Japanese celebrities have reportedly been told not to mention Palworld to avoid Pokémon backlash
Copyright Law of Japan February 2020 Edition
