Nintendo Sues Pocketpair Over Palworld Patent Infringement
Nintendo has taken legal action against the independent game developer Pocketpair, alleging that the very popular launch title Palworld infringes on Nintendo’s patents.
The lawsuit, filed in the Tokyo District Court, centers around specific aspects of “Palworld” that Nintendo claims closely resemble features found in the popular “Pokémon” series. While Nintendo hasn’t disclosed the exact details of the patents involved, but it is worth noting this is a patent case, not a copyright case!
From the Nintendo investor relations website:
Nintendo Co., Ltd., together with The Pokémon Company, filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the Tokyo District Court against Pocketpair, Inc. on September 18, 2024.
This lawsuit seeks an injunction against infringement and compensation for damages on the grounds that Palworld, a game developed and released by the Defendant, infringes multiple patent rights.
Nintendo will continue to take necessary actions against any infringement of its intellectual property rights including the Nintendo brand itself, to protect the intellectual properties it has worked hard to establish over the years.
This legal dispute has re-sparked the debate among the community about whether or not it really is a copy, or simply inspired by monster collecting. Some argue that “Palworld” is a clear rip-off of the “Pokémon” series, while others defend the game as a legitimate homage or inspiration. The outcome of the lawsuit could have significant implications for the future of indie game development and the protection of intellectual property rights in the gaming industry.
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