November 9, 2024, 14:07, China Times
“Low-End Pokémon” Demanded to be Taken Down by Nintendo! Palworld Accused of Infringement – Compensation Revealed
[Chen Zhengjia]
Japanese indie game developer Pocketpair, which launched the open-world survival and creature-catching game Palworld this January, has faced backlash as many players humorously referred to its creatures, “Pals,” as a “low-budget, realistic version” of Pokémon. Nintendo announced last month that it would file a patent infringement lawsuit against Pocketpair. Recently, Pocketpair disclosed full details of the case. While the compensation amount was limited to ¥10 million, Nintendo’s demand to take down Palworld has sparked widespread discussion.
Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed the infringement lawsuit with a Japanese district court on September 18, alleging that Palworld violated multiple patents. They sought an injunction against the game and monetary damages.
On November 8, Pocketpair published the case details on its official website, stating that Nintendo accused Palworld of infringing three patents owned by Nintendo. They are pursuing an injunction to halt the game and invalidate those patents, in addition to compensation for partial damages incurred up to the lawsuit’s filing date.
According to the statement, Nintendo’s demands include:
Removing Palworld from sale.
Paying ¥5 million (approximately NT$1.05 million) plus overdue interest to The Pokémon Company.
Paying ¥5 million plus overdue interest to Nintendo.
Pocketpair emphasized that it will present its position through legal proceedings and will not respond to individual inquiries. Any further updates or responses will be published on its official website.
An examination of the three patents allegedly infringed by Pocketpair—numbers “7545191,” “7493117,” and “7528390”—reveals they were filed in 2021 and took effect in 2024. According to records from the IP Force website, the first two patents pertain to mechanisms for capturing creatures using items, while the third relates to the representation of riding creatures or vehicles. However, further clarification will depend on courtroom proceedings between both parties.
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