Palworld Developer Discloses Pokémon Patents in Legal Battle Against Nintendo

Being a patent attorney is famously well-compensated, and there’s a good reason for that: the job isn’t exactly everyone’s dream. Keeping that in mind, we can all appreciate the challenge faced by the developers of Palworld, created by Pocketpair, as they publish a statement regarding the patents Nintendo claims the Pokémon-like game is infringing upon.

In their statement, Pocketpair reveals both the patents Nintendo says are being infringed and the damages being sought. Nintendo, along with The Pokémon Company, is asking for 10 million yen, which amounts to just under $33,000 each.

For further insight, you might want to check out how the internet is reacting to the lawsuit between Pokémon and Palworld. Back in September, we speculated that this dispute would likely boil down to patent issues. What’s strange here isn’t just the relatively small damages Nintendo is seeking, but the timing. Pocketpair highlights that the patents in question were registered between May and August this year, yet Palworld was released to much attention in January. So, what’s the deal here?

Pocketpair clarifies in their statement that, “The Plaintiffs claim that ‘Palworld,’ released on January 19, 2024, infringes upon the following three patents and are seeking an injunction and compensation for damages incurred from the date of registration to the filing date.”

Here are the specifics:

– Patent No. 7545191 (Application: July 30, 2024, Registration: August 27, 2024)
– Patent No. 7493117 (Application: February 26, 2024, Registration: May 22, 2024)
– Patent No. 7528390 (Application: March 5, 2024, Registration: July 26, 2024)

Diving into these patents, the first mentions a mechanism where a player targets and launches an “item” at a character, initiating combat and switching modes. The second patent is similar but extends the scope to capturing Pokémon in the wild. Meanwhile, the third, more audaciously, pertains to riding creatures in an open world setting with easy transitions.

Each of these patents seems crafted to modulate existing patents, aligning with features in recent Pokémon titles like Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Scarlet and Violet from 2022. Some might consider these as delayed adjustments. A Japanese patent lawyer suggests these were expedited to buttress the existing inventions and push the lawsuit forward.

Patent ideas can feel somewhat exaggerated at times.

Nevertheless, Pocketpair insists, “We will continue to assert our position in this case through future legal proceedings,” showing no intention of backing down against their formidable opponent.

It’s worth noting the coincidence of this legal move surfacing just a couple of months after Pocketpair teamed up with Sony to merchandise the game’s Pals. Confident they’ve not breached Nintendo’s copyrights, the indie developer even encourages others to draw inspiration from and emulate their game.