The developer behind the controversial Pokémon-inspired game Pickmon is hoping a single-letter name change will help it weather months of mounting criticism over derivative character designs. The studio announced today that the title will now be called Pickmos, a shift aimed at better reflecting what it calls the game's unique vision.
PocketGame, the studio behind the project, framed the rebranding in lofty terms. In a statement posted to social media, the company said the new name captures "a complete Ecosystem" and "a grand Cosmos," while creatures in the game will remain known as Pickmon. The message emphasized the developer's commitment to crafting "a unique and profound ecological world" since the project's inception.
The timing of the announcement comes roughly a month after the game's initial reveal sparked immediate backlash from the gaming community. Fans quickly flagged striking resemblances between Pickmos creatures and established Pokémon like Pikachu, Charizard, and Lucario. The game's trailer also drew comparisons to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, featuring a protagonist that resembles Link and a nearly identical gliding mechanic off a mountain cliff.
Beyond character parallels, critics have pointed to designs that appear to copy fan-made Pokémon artwork. In particular, a creature in Pickmos resembles Mega Meganium, an unofficial monster created by an artist known as Mr. Fakemon. When questioned about the similarities, PocketGame's official account responded with a boilerplate legal statement asserting that it had searched the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office database and found no trademark registrations for the designs in question.
The legal argument did little to satisfy a skeptical fanbase. The name change announcement was met with harsh replies on social media, with users accusing the studio of plagiarism and demanding the project be abandoned entirely. "You stolen many artist's design," read one highly liked response on X. Another user compared Pickmos unfavorably to Palworld, calling it "blatant plagiarized slop" that borrows from Pokémon, fan art, The Legend of Zelda, and Overwatch.
Notably, neither the rebranding nor the studio's legal defense has prompted any changes to the game itself. Concept art released alongside today's announcement still features creature designs that closely mirror existing intellectual property. PocketGame has not indicated plans to overhaul its roster or address the derivative elements.
The studio has acknowledged receiving criticism. When pressed about copying concerns, the official Pickmos account told users: "We have shared the community's feedback with our Art Director for further review." No timeline was given for any potential revisions.
Author Emily Chen: "A name change doesn't erase what people see on screen, and PocketGame seems to be banking on a rebranding doing heavy lifting that their art direction simply cannot support."
Comments