Pickmon plagiarism allegations have exploded into a full-blown crisis for PocketGame, whose new Steam title stands accused of wholesale theft from both Pokémon and fan artists. Now the developer has responded by changing the game’s name to Pickmos—swapping a single letter—in what can only be described as a deliberate mockery of the community calling them out.
Key Takeaways
- Pickmon renamed to Pickmos by changing one letter, widely seen as trolling rather than genuine rebrand.
- Developer accused of stealing monster designs from fan artist el.psy.fake without credit or permission.
- Pickmon plagiarism allegations include copying from both Pokémon and Palworld, with designs like Jetagon allegedly lifted wholesale.
- Developer lectured the plagiarism victim about using Pokémon logos while claiming no legal issues with fan art theft.
- Community backlash intensified by poor crisis response, turning sentiment even colder toward the project.
The Pickmon Plagiarism Allegations Timeline
PocketGame’s first non-mobile title sparked immediate controversy the moment it hit Steam. Pickmon plagiarism allegations centered on monster designs that bore unmistakable resemblance to existing Pokémon creatures, but the scandal deepened when evidence emerged that the developer had allegedly stolen artwork directly from fan creator el.psy.fake. The accusation wasn’t vague—specific designs appeared to be lifted from the artist’s portfolio without attribution or permission.
Rather than address the theft allegations head-on, the developer took a different approach. They claimed no legal issues existed regarding their use of fan art and asserted no trademark infringement had occurred. Then came the moment that transformed skepticism into outright contempt: the developer publicly lectured el.psy.fake on social media, advising the artist against using the official Pokémon logo in unofficial content, regardless of whether profit was involved. This was the equivalent of a burglar scolding a homeowner for leaving the door unlocked.
Why Pickmos Is Obviously a Troll
Renaming Pickmon to Pickmos by altering a single letter stands as perhaps the most transparent deflection in recent gaming history. It is not a rebrand—it is a middle finger wrapped in a change of clothes. The developer appears to be banking on the idea that swapping one character somehow erases the mounting evidence of plagiarism and the community’s justified anger.
This is not how serious developers respond to plagiarism allegations. A genuine rebrand addresses the underlying problem: stolen designs, unattributed fan art, and the arrogance of lecturing victims. Instead, Pickmos represents contempt for the people calling out the theft. YouTube commentary captured the sentiment perfectly: the game is widely described as nothing more than a massive trolling attempt. The developer’s actions suggest they are either completely detached from how their behavior reads to the community or deliberately antagonizing players for attention.
Pickmon Plagiarism Allegations Extend Beyond Pokémon
The accusations do not stop at Pokémon. Pickmon is also accused of copying designs from Palworld, another monster-collecting title that itself has faced cloning criticism. Specific allegations include designs like Jetagon being lifted from Palworld’s roster. What makes this worse is that Pickmon is criticized for being a lazier clone than other Palworld-inspired games already in circulation, suggesting the developer invested minimal effort even in the theft.
Palworld itself emerged as a response to Pokémon’s dominance, but it built its own identity through original mechanics and design language. Pickmon does neither. It sits at the bottom of a pyramid of clones, copying from games that were themselves inspired by Pokémon, making the original plagiarism allegations even more damning. The developer had multiple templates to learn from and still managed to alienate the community through poor execution and worse crisis management.
The Developer’s Response Made Everything Worse
Crisis management in gaming demands humility and accountability. PocketGame delivered neither. By lecturing the plagiarism victim on trademark law while simultaneously denying any wrongdoing regarding fan art theft, the developer created a perception of hypocrisy that poisoned community sentiment. The Pickmos rebrand, rather than signaling contrition, amplified the sense that the developer views the entire situation as a joke.
This is what happens when a studio prioritizes deflection over responsibility. The community backlash did not just persist—it intensified, turning the atmosphere around the project even colder. Each defensive statement, each non-apology, each dismissal of legitimate concerns pushes players further away. The one-letter name change is the final proof that PocketGame is not interested in fixing the underlying problems; they are interested in moving forward as if the criticism does not exist.
What This Means for Indie Gaming’s Plagiarism Problem
Pickmon plagiarism allegations highlight a broader issue in indie development: the ease with which small studios can attempt large-scale theft with minimal consequences. Fan art theft is particularly insidious because the victims often lack the legal resources to pursue claims. A professional developer lecturing a fan artist about trademark law while allegedly stealing their work is contemptible, but it is also a calculated move—the artist is unlikely to have the budget for litigation.
The Pickmos rebrand is a test. The developer is watching to see whether a cosmetic change buys them enough distance to launch the game and move on. If the community accepts this non-solution, it sends a message that plagiarism carries no real cost in indie gaming. If the backlash persists, it establishes that integrity matters more than a name change.
Is Pickmon actually copying Pokémon designs?
Yes. Pickmon plagiarism allegations include direct visual similarities to established Pokémon creatures, and the situation is worse because the developer allegedly stole designs from fan artist el.psy.fake without credit. The developer’s claim of no legal issues does not address the ethical breach or the community’s justified anger.
Why did the developer rename Pickmon to Pickmos?
The developer changed one letter, apparently hoping to deflect from plagiarism allegations without addressing them. The community widely views this as trolling rather than a genuine rebrand, especially given the developer’s defensive response to criticism.
What did the developer say to the fan artist?
The developer lectured el.psy.fake on social media, claiming the artist should not use the Pokémon logo in unofficial content regardless of profit, even as the developer faced accusations of stealing the artist’s own work. The hypocrisy poisoned community sentiment and made the subsequent Pickmos rebrand feel like mockery.
Pickmon plagiarism allegations represent a failure of both integrity and crisis management. The Pickmos rebrand is not a solution—it is an admission that the developer views the entire situation as a PR inconvenience rather than a genuine ethical problem. Until PocketGame addresses the theft directly, credits the original artists, and demonstrates real change, the community has every reason to treat the game with the contempt it has earned.
This article was written with AI assistance and editorially reviewed.
Source: Creativebloq
