Summary

• Pocketpair surprised everyone by releasing OverDungeon on the Nintendo eShop.
• OverDungeon is a unique blend of action card game, tower defense, and roguelike mechanics.
• Despite a current legal battle, Pocketpair celebrated the launch with a 50% discount.

In a surprising move, Pocketpair, the developer behind Palworld, has quietly launched its 2019 title, OverDungeon, on the Nintendo eShop. This release comes amidst an ongoing legal dispute with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.

In September 2024, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed a lawsuit against Pocketpair, alleging that Palworld's "Pal Spheres" infringe on Pokémon's creature-capturing system patents. The lawsuit sparked significant controversy. While Pocketpair acknowledged the situation as "unfortunate" and pledged to cooperate with the investigation, Palworld received a major update in December, boosting its concurrent Steam player count. Now, in another unexpected move, OverDungeon arrives on the Nintendo eShop.

On January 9th, Pocketpair unexpectedly released OverDungeon for Nintendo Switch. Originally a 2019 Steam release, OverDungeon is described as an action card game with tower defense and roguelike elements. This marks Pocketpair's first Nintendo Switch title, announced without prior warning. To celebrate the launch, OverDungeon is currently 50% off until January 24th. The decision to release OverDungeon on the Nintendo eShop, while Palworld is available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox, has fueled speculation online, with some suggesting it's a strategic response to the ongoing lawsuit.

Pocketpair Launches Its First Nintendo Switch Game Amidst Lawsuit

While Palworld is Pocketpair's most well-known game, it's not the first to draw comparisons to Nintendo titles. In 2020, their RPG Craftopia sparked comparisons to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Craftopia continues to receive updates on Steam. Meanwhile, Pocketpair has actively promoted Palworld even after the lawsuit, announcing a collaboration with Terraria. This crossover introduced a new Pal, Meowmeow, with more Terraria-related content planned for 2025.

Since the lawsuit's initiation, updates from the involved parties have been scarce. Patent experts predict the case could last for years without a settlement. Beyond the Terraria collaboration, Pocketpair has hinted at further Palworld developments in 2025, including a Mac port and potentially a mobile version.