2025-11-04 11:16 Chinatimes
Nintendo’s Patent Infringement Lawsuit against Palworld Rejected by Japan Patent Office, Criticized for “Lack of Innovation”
[Su Wen]
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) recently rejected a patent infringement lawsuit filed jointly by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company against the popular game Palworld. The JPO stated that the “monster capturing” mechanism patent application submitted by Nintendo “lacks inventiveness.”
According to a report by Games Fray, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company officially filed a lawsuit against Pocket Pair, the developer of Palworld, in September 2024. The lawsuit claimed the defendant infringed upon multiple patents and demanded an injunction against the infringement and compensation for damages.
The key to the Japan Patent Office’s rejection was the patent application’s “lack of inventiveness,” stating that this “prior art” had existed in other games long before Pokémon, and therefore no infringement had occurred. Examples cited include similar elements found in games such as Ark: Survival Evolved, Monster Hunter 4, Kantai Collection, Pokémon GO, and Pocket Pair’s other game, Craftopia.
Nevertheless, this rejection decision does not have direct legal binding force on the ongoing Palworld court case. Nintendo has 60 days before the final rejection to choose to submit more arguments or modify its claims and attempt to persuade the examiner again, or to file an appeal with the Intellectual Property High Court (IPHC) of Japan. The entire process could potentially extend into 2026 and beyond.
This legal battle surrounding game patents has also stirred controversy within the player community. Many accuse Nintendo of successfully patenting seemingly common gameplay mechanics in the United States, such as “mount system switching” or “summoned combat.” They fear that other developers may be reluctant to try similar gameplay mechanics due to the risk of being drawn into a lawsuit, ultimately leading to homogenization in gaming and stifling industry innovation.
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