Pickmon Sparks Online Debate as a New Game Blending Pokémon, Zelda, and Palworld Elements

The upcoming Steam game Pickmon is generating buzz online for its unapologetic nods to popular franchises like Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda, and Palworld. In its debut trailer, the protagonist, clad in attire reminiscent of Link from Zelda, leaps from a cliff that echoes Breath of the Wild's Great Plateau, accompanied by familiar piano melodies. This character, often dubbed 'Not-Link,' uses a glider and has a creature resembling Pikachu perched on his shoulder, while a dragon-like entity, akin to Rayquaza, glides by—all within the first moments of the video.

Developed by Pokegame, Pickmon is promoted as a multiplayer monster-collecting game with open-world survival and crafting features, supporting up to 32 players. The trailer showcases more creatures that blend elements from Pokémon and Palworld, along with basic base-building and farming mechanics. It ends with a call to wishlist the game on Steam and hints at ambitious future releases for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation.

Observers note that the trailer invites obvious comparisons to Nintendo's properties, from the character designs to the developer's name, Pokegame. For an indie studio launching its first title, this approach is seen as a strategic move to attract attention, potentially even benefiting from legal scrutiny if Nintendo were to take action. Already, a Pokémon fan has accused Pickmon of copying one of their fan designs.

While the similarities to Pokémon are striking, Nintendo is currently embroiled in a prolonged lawsuit against Palworld, which has been on sale for over a year with minor adjustments. Notably, Pickmon diverges from Pokémon's catch mechanic; instead of using balls, it summons creatures from magic cards.

Fan reactions on social media range from amusement to criticism, with comments like 'What if we take Palworld and make it even closer to Pokémon?' and 'This is the smash bros 'everyone is here' trailer of plagiarism.' Despite the backlash, the developer likely welcomes the spotlight, though whether it will draw Nintendo's legal attention remains uncertain.