Pocketpair has been bombarded by several lawsuits filed by Nintendo, but that didn't stop the developers from filing a new trademark for "Palworld Online."
The filing has created controversy for fans. They do not know if it will focus on multiplayer expansion, a mobile spin-off, or a fully standalone online title.
'Palworld Online' Fuels MMO Expectations
The discovery of the trademark has led many players to believe Pocketpair could be preparing a larger-scale online experience. In the gaming industry, trademark filings often serve as early indicators of future projects long before official announcements are made.
Since its early access launch in 2024, "Palworld" has already supported multiplayer gameplay, with servers accommodating up to 32 players.
Pocketpair has gradually improved online stability and expanded server capacity following early performance issues driven by overwhelming player demand.
Some fans speculate that "Palworld Online" could represent a rebranding or evolution of the current game, especially as "Palworld" approaches its expected 1.0 release in 2026.
Major updates are already planned to overhaul progression systems and expand long-term gameplay features.
However, others caution that the trademark may not necessarily indicate a full MMO, but instead a separate or experimental project under the same universe.
Mobile Version and Krafton Connection Adds Mystery
The trademark filing in both the United States and South Korea has further fueled speculation, particularly because Krafton is currently developing a mobile version of Palworld.
Given Krafton's South Korea base, some fans believe "Palworld Online" could be linked to the upcoming mobile adaptation, per GameRant's report. However, no official confirmation has been provided, and updates from Krafton have remained limited, adding to the uncertainty.
MMO Plans Considered Unlikely by Analysts
Despite growing excitement, many industry observers believe a full-scale MMORPG is unlikely in the near term. Pocketpair is still a relatively small studio focused on refining the core early access version of "Palworld."
Launching a large-scale MMO would require substantial infrastructure and resources, particularly to avoid the server instability issues experienced during the game's initial surge in popularity.
Pocketpair needs to pull this off smoothly, or else newly born controversies will arise, aside from the potential lawsuits that might arrive in the future.
Originally published on Player One
