The controversy around Pickmon has taken a new turn. The game, which was recently renamed to Pickmos, has now been removed from Steam. The publisher has also stepped in and taken control of development.
Pickmon was announced in March and quickly faced backlash. Many players said it looked too similar to Pokémon. Some also pointed out similarities with Palworld. It also has elements that seemed inspired by other popular games.
To reduce criticism, the developers changed the name to Pickmos. However, the move did not help much, as concerns about copied designs and gameplay remained.
Just a few days after the rename, the game was taken down from Steam.
In a statement shared on X, the publisher Networkgo said it has now “intervened” in development. The company will supervise the team to ensure the game improves and avoids further issues.
The developer also confirmed that the game is not canceled. Instead, it is being revised to remove controversial elements. The game will be re-released only after the publisher gives final approval.
The situation escalated because many felt the game copied ideas from multiple titles, not just Pokémon. This increased the chances of legal trouble. There were also some odd responses from the developers earlier. When accused of copying designs, they reportedly asked critics to show trademark proof, which did not go down well with the community.
Now, with the publisher stepping in, it looks like an attempt to fix both the game and the situation. This could also be a move to avoid potential legal issues from companies like Nintendo or Pocketpair.
