Despite its family friendly persona, Nintendo is known not to kid around when it comes to protecting their intellectual property. The company’s latest legal battle is not an exception to this rule. On September 18, 2024, the Pokémon Company and Nintendo filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Palworld creators Pocketpair Inc. in the Tokyo District Court.
Palworld was a huge success when it was launched in January 2024 and became somewhat of a contender to Pokemon with similar mechanics and story lines. Apparently, Palworld’s creature-catching mechanics are now a little too familiar for Nintendo’s liking.
Despite the resemblance, many fans in the community are surprised about the reasons of the lawsuit. While you would think that Nintendo’s IP claims would evolve around the strikingly similar-looking creatures or the familiar storyline the company’s lawyers are going after in-game mechanics. It seems Nintendo’s legal strategy is as unexpected as finding a shiny Pokémon on your first encounter.
The lawsuit targets multiple patents, though the specifics have not been announced yet. Nintendo’s patent claims are famous for containing even trivial mechanics such as fast-travel and showing two objects on screen. Speculation is rife that the spherical creature-catching devices in Palworld might be one of the main issues.
The filing has also sparked intense debate in the Pokemon and Palworld community. Essentially, fans are questioning Nintendo’s timing to come forward with its claims. Palworld has been out for a while, leading some to wonder if its monster sales figures finally triggered Nintendo’s Trainer instincts to sue ’em all.
The outcome of this battle could have bigger implications for both companies but also for the indie-developer scene as a whole. If Nintendo wins, Palworld might need to change its core mechanics or face the dreaded fate of even delisting from gaming platforms. The industry is watching closely, wondering if this case might evolve into a new precedent for how game mechanics are legally protected.
Nintendo’s history of fiercely guarding its IP is well known. But this patent-based approach is a new strategy in their playbook. Especially considering the game mechanics-based nature of the lawsuit. Let’s see how Palworld will make it out of this battle.
