Palworld warns of app store clone that could risk your personal data

A mobile version of Palworld has appeared on the Apple App Store, said to be coming soon - but it is not the real deal.

The app, which you can see below in screenshots taken by Eurogamer, appears at first glance to be affiliated with Palworld developer Pocketpair and uses the same promotional images as on PC and Xbox. But this app has nothing to do with Pocketpair, and has instead been published by someone known as Oleksandra Kryccun.

Pocketpair has now said it is aware of this app's existence, and warned players not to be fooled by its arrival on the App Store (we've checked, and can't see it on the Google Play store at present).

Newscast: Will Pokémon take Palworld down

Writing on X, PocketPair wrote that there was "no Palworld application for phones".

"Apps using names and product images such as 'パルワールド' and 'Palworld' are appearing on the AppStore and Google Play, but they are not affiliated with our company in any way," PocketPair wrote, stating the team has reported the issue to both Apple and Google.

"Please be aware that downloading these apps may lead to the leakage of personal information stored on your smartphone or to fraud."

Palworld itself has gained a lot of attention, with some suggesting Pocketpair's release is in its own way a copycat of Pokémon. The game has several Pal models that are very similar Pokémon characters, with more seemingly on the way.

This similarity has evidently not missed The Pokémon Company, which has issued a rare statement indirectly addressing Palworld, after claims that Pocketpair had directly copied its designs. "We intend to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to the Pokémon," its statement read.

Prior to this statement, The Pokémon Company's former chief legal officer Don McGowan said he was "surprised" Palworld had "got this far".