Pokémon against Palworld, we now know why Nintendo filed a complaint

Game news Pokémon against Palworld, we now know why Nintendo filed a complaint

Catching and riding creatures

Almost two months after Nintendo filed its complaint, we finally know the details of their accusations. These are game mechanics that Nintendo accuses Palworld of having copied, those of being able to catch a creature and use it as a mount. Pocketpair has recognized the existence of these patents based in Japan: numbered patents
7545191,
7493117et
7528390

Press release on the patent infringement lawsuit.

These refer respectively to the action of aiming and throwing an object, the action of capturing a creature, and the action of using the creature as a mount. Nintendo is demanding a halt to the sale of the game until these mechanics are removed, as well as 10 million yen (around €60,000) in damages.half for their company, and the other half for their subsidiary The Pokemon Companyto which additional penalties could be added in the event of late payment. Although these patents were filed and validated in 2024 (after the release of Palworld), Nintendo links them to a previous patent dating from December 2021, filed as part of the game Pokémon Legends: Arceus. However, the release of Palworld was announced in June 2021.

A risky process

According to intellectual property specialists, this trial could last several years if an agreement is not reached between the two parties; years which could cost Nintendo several million euros in legal costs. Especially since the Japanese firm could have difficulty winning, given that it itself recognized the existence of some of its mechanics in other games. Also, the lack of specificity or innovation of the patents concerned could lead to their invalidation. Conversely, a victory for Nintendo could have consequences for the gaming world, since many developers would be hesitant to integrate mechanics that are patented and present in other games.

For Nintendo, this lawsuit seems to have the primary objective of protecting its intellectual properties, here meaning franchises and patents. The Palworld community gave the developer its full support, particularly on X and Reddit, while severely criticizing the action taken by Nintendo, deemed “ridiculous”. Pocketpair announced in its press release that it wanted to continue to defend itself in court. The game is still available on Steam, Xbox and PS5 since the end of September.