Nexus Mods - one of the biggest modding sites on the internet - has confirmed it won't be hosting Pokémon-themed Palworld mods, saying doing so would "almost certainly... put us at risk of legal action" given Nintendo's history of litigiousness.
Palworld's big hook, of course, is the Pokémon-like Pals that roam its open world, all of which can be caught (in a very Pokémon-like manner) to assist in exploration and survival. The sometimes startling similarity between Pals and Pokémon's creature designs has been a major talking point since its early access launch, and it was inevitable modders would begin swapping out Palworld's derivative creatures for the real thing.
It took mere days for the first Palworld Pokémon mod to arrive, and quick as you like, Nintendo's lawyers were on it. "Nintendo has come for me," YouTuber ToastedShoes wrote just a day after showcasing his Pokémon Palworld mod on social media, where all footage was suddenly removed "in response to a report by the copyright owner."