Nintendo Sues Palworld Developer PocketPair Over Patent Infringement

Nintendo sues Palworld developer, Pocketpair for alleged patent infringement and seeks both an injunction and damages. The lawsuit, announced on September 18, 2024, via Nintendo’s official X (formerly Twitter) account showed a serious escalation in the ongoing controversy surrounding the game’s perceived similarities to the Pokémon franchise.

The legal action, filed by Nintendo with The Pokemon Company in the Tokyo District Court, comes after months of speculation about potential legal repercussions due to perceived similarities between Palworld and the Pokemon franchise. Nintendo’s statement emphasizes their commitment to protecting their intellectual property, stating they will “continue to take necessary actions against any infringement of its intellectual property rights.”

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We posted the News Release “Filing Lawsuit for Infringement of Patent Rights against Pocketpair, Inc.”https://t.co/76ttENZXtv

— 任天堂株式会社（企業広報・IR） (@NintendoCoLtd) September 18, 2024
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This move follows Nintendo’s earlier statement in January, where they promised to investigate and take appropriate measures against potentially infringing content. The lawsuit marks a significant escalation in the ongoing controversy surrounding Palworld, which has been colloquially referred to as “Pokémon with guns” by some observers.

Palworld, launched in early access in January 2024 and quickly gained popularity but also attracted controversy due to perceived similarities with Pokemon. Despite the game’s success, PocketPair has consistently maintained that Palworld draws more inspiration from survival crafting games like Ark Survival Evolved and Valheim than from Pokemon.

Prior to this lawsuit, PocketPair CEO Takuro Mizobe had stated in June that Nintendo and the Pokemon Company had not made any complaints regarding the alleged similarities. Mizobe expressed his respect for Pokemon, noting its influence on his generation.