Players have spotted that Pocketpair altered the designs of Verdash, Robinquill, Fengallop, and Grintale for the 1.0 launch, making the creatures more visually distinct from the Pokemon they previously resembled.
The 1.0 update for Palworld arrived this week with hundreds of changes catalogued in the official patch notes, but one set of alterations went completely unmentioned until players began exploring the updated game. Several existing Pals have received visual redesigns that push the creatures further from the Pokemon comparisons that have followed Pocketpair's survival game since its early access debut in January 2024.
Four Pals in particular have been identified by the community as redesigned: Verdash, Robinquill, Fengallop, and Grintale. Each one previously carried design elements that drew direct comparisons to specific Pokemon species, and each now includes new features that create more visual distance.
Verdash, which previously resembled a green bipedal creature with a strong similarity to Cinderace, has been shortened with noticeably longer ears, a less prominent collar, and puffier legwear. On the Palworld subreddit, user Pends101 described the change as Verdash now having "its own identity instead of giving off 'legally distinct Cinderace' vibes."
Robinquill has lost the red cape that made its silhouette nearly identical to Decidueye, the grass-and-ghost starter from Pokemon Sun and Moon. The Pal now wears an olive green cloak with a leaner frame, and its feather headpiece has been removed entirely.
Fengallop, previously colored and shaped in ways that evoked the horse-like legendary Pokemon Cobalion, now uses a purple palette with flame-like horns that give it a more deer-like appearance. The color shift and horn redesign are the most dramatic of the four changes.
Grintale, whose bright yellow eyes and jagged grin drew comparisons to Galarian Meowth, now has softer eye markings and straighter teeth, giving it more of a Cheshire Cat aesthetic. The change is subtle compared to the other redesigns but noticeable to players familiar with the original model.
The alterations were first compiled on Reddit by user Silverr98, who posted side-by-side comparison images. The thread gathered thousands of upvotes with a largely positive response. "Verdash and Robinquil were both Pals I refused to use because they looked too close to their inspo," wrote user Vvattvery. "Now I see myself using them."
Pocketpair has not acknowledged the redesigns in its 1.0 changelog, but the studio has previous form in making adjustments that appear to respond to the ongoing legal dispute with Nintendo and The Pokemon Company. That dispute, filed in late 2024, centers on patent claims around monster-capturing mechanics rather than visual design specifically, though the redesigns suggest Pocketpair may be taking a cautious approach across both gameplay and aesthetics. A judgement in that case is expected later this year.
The timing of the visual changes, arriving alongside the full 1.0 launch, has led many observers to connect them to the legal pressure. ResetEra commenters were more pointed in their reactions. "Better late than never, I guess," one forum user wrote. "It's hilarious how blatant some of the model rips were, and people still jumped to defend them."
Whether or not avoiding further legal exposure was the primary motivation, the community reception has been clear: most players consider the updated designs an improvement over the originals. Comments across Reddit and social media frequently note that the new models give each Pal a clearer visual identity separate from its Pokemon counterpart. Some players said they previously avoided using Verdash and Robinquill specifically because the designs felt too derivative, and the redesigns have changed that.
Palworld reached version 1.0 after more than two years in early access. The update introduced 72 new Pals, raised the level cap to 85, rebalanced the combat system, and added a reworked story campaign alongside extensive world changes. The launch drove Palworld's biggest concurrent player spike on Steam since its record-breaking early access release in early 2024, when the game sold over 8 million copies in its first week. The 1.0 version currently holds a 96% positive rating on Steam based on thousands of recent reviews, with many calling it the definitive version of the game.
The redesigns also raise questions about whether further visual changes are planned for other Pals that have attracted comparisons. Pocketpair has not indicated whether additional model updates are in the works, but given the positive reception to the four revealed so far, further adjustments would not be surprising.
PixelTempo covered the Palworld 1.0 launch earlier this week with details on the full scope of the update.
