'They Really Are Going the Pokémon Route' — Palworld Is Getting an Official Trading Card Game

Pocketpair has made the astonishment announcement of an authoritative Palworld Trading Card Game, owed retired this summer.

Pocketpair has partnered with Japanese TCG specializer Bushiroad for Palworld Official Trading Card Game, which has a July 30, 2026 merchandise date. The teaser trailer is below.

Here’s the authoritative blurb:

This crippled is simply a 2-player competitory paper crippled wherever you tin bask strategical and tactical battles done deploying assorted unsocial Pals. Players combat alongside their Pal companions, gathering resources, and gathering bases arsenic they purpose for victory. These adorable and dependable Pals volition utilize their ain unsocial traits to pb you to victory. Team up with your trusty Pals and acquisition the thrill of overcoming formidable enemies done this breathtaking trading paper game.

As you’d expect, the announcement has sparked further comparisons betwixt Palworld and Pokémon, which has a hugely fashionable trading paper crippled of its own. “They truly are going the Pokémon way and merchandising everything,” said 1 fan. “Palworld anime when?” added another. “Nintendo: dense breathing,” said 1 YouTube commenter. “NOW THEY JUST TROLLING!!!!” laughed 1 fan.

In September, Pocketpair announced Palworld: Palfarm, a farming and crafting spinoff that was revealed conscionable a week aft Nintendo revealed cozy farming sim Pokémon Pokopia. Pocketpair ended up issuing a effect aft immoderate Pokémon fans questioned the timing of the Palworld: Palfarm announcement.

Pocketpair has surely moved rapidly to capitalize connected Palworld’s explosive success. (In March 2024, Pocketpair brag Takuro Mizobe said the institution couldn’t grip the monolithic profits the crippled had generated.) While moving connected its 1.0 release, the Japanese workplace is processing Palfarm, moving connected this caller Palworld TCG, moving a publishing workplace of its own, and it has its different game, Craftopia to update.

Pocketpair is of people embroiled successful a high-profile patent conflict with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company implicit Palworld, which is expected to advancement this year. The Nintendo-Palworld lawsuit, which has been ongoing successful Japan since its announcement successful September 2024, involves 3 patents, 2 related to monster seizure and release, and 1 related to riding characters. For much details, cheque retired IGN’s sum of the lawsuit, including wherefore Nintendo re-wrote patents mid-case and Nintendo’s caller determination to discount mods arsenic "prior art." All the while, Nintendo has been engaged obtaining patents — immoderate of which IP lawyers said should ne'er person been granted — arsenic it develops its lawsuit against Pocketpair, which has vowed to support itself successful court.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].