Palworld Developer Explains Nintendo Lawsuit Over Patent Infringement Claims

Recently, things had been quiet regarding the lawsuit Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed against Pocketpair, the creators of Palworld. However, Pocketpair has now released a new statement that clarifies the details around this legal battle—particularly which patents are at the center of Nintendo’s complaint and the associated fines.

On their website, Pocketpair posted an update titled ‘Report on Patent Infringement Lawsuit’, where they explain that Nintendo’s lawsuit is about three specific patents (numbered 7545191, 7493117, and 7528390). Even though these patents were filed between February and July 2024, after Palworld hit the market, they are tied to a “parent patent” from 2021, making them applicable.

These patents point to gameplay features like capturing creatures with throwable items—a concept familiar to many in the form of Pokéballs or Pal Spheres—and the mechanics of riding said creatures. Analysts on Twitter had previously speculated that these mechanics might be the foundation of Nintendo’s case back in September.

Pocketpair acknowledges that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company seek to put a stop to the game and seek compensation for damages incurred from the patent registration date until the lawsuit was filed.

The studio claims that to resolve this, both Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are demanding a fee of five million yen each, which amounts to about £25,000 or $33,000, along with extra fees for late payments.

Ending their statement, Pocketpair makes it clear that they intend to contest the lawsuit: “We will continue to assert our position in this case through future legal proceedings”.

Back in September, when the game was supposed to launch on PS5 in certain countries, it was halted without much explanation. Now, it’s likely the lawsuit had a significant influence in that decision.

As developments unfold in this legal matter, we promise to keep you posted on any new information.

On a side note, Jim Norman, who joined Nintendo Life in 2022, continues to share his unique perspectives and gaming insights with us, no matter his particular fondness for The Minish Cap as the best Zelda title or his appreciation for the Star Wars prequels.