Palworld debuted earlier this year and, within hours, became a resounding success. The title's similarities to Pokémon did not go unnoticed by players, nor by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, who decided to sue Pocketpair in September.
Until now, specific details about this legal battle had not been disclosed, but the independent studio shared more information about the case this morning. Thanks to this, we know the reasons for the lawsuit and the demands of Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.
In a statement, Pocketpair confirmed that the conflict began over 3 patents related to Pokémon that it allegedly violated. As a result, the plaintiffs are seeking damages and may even halt the game’s operations in certain regions.
Why Did Nintendo and The Pokémon Company Sue Palworld and Pocketpair?
Pocketpair revealed that the lawsuit by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company is based on 3 patents related to Pokémon mechanics. All of them were filed between February and July of this year, which means they were registered while Palworld was already available. Despite this, the conflict is possible because they relate to a patent initially filed in December 2021.
Specifically, these are patents 7545191, 7493117, and 7528390, which cover information on several mechanics that will be familiar to fans of both franchises: the ability to capture digital creatures by throwing an object and the ability to use them as mounts.
Clearly, the patents refer to Pokémon’s Pokéballs and Palworld’s Pal Spheres, objects used to capture monsters. Additionally, both franchises allow players to use monsters as mounts.
What Does Nintendo Want with the Lawsuit Against Pocketpair?
According to Pocketpair’s statement, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are demanding a payment of $32,846 USD each for the damages caused by the patent infringements in Palworld. That’s not all; the plaintiffs will also seek an injunction against the game by Pocketpair.
“We will continue defending our position in this case through future legal proceedings.”
At the time of writing, it’s unclear what the aim of this injunction is, but experts speculate that Nintendo may try, in some way, to halt the game’s operations in various regions; however, nothing is confirmed at this time, and the studios have not disclosed additional details.
Lastly, Pocketpair reaffirmed its stance and stated again that it will fight Nintendo and The Pokémon Company’s lawsuit. “We will continue defending our position in this case through future legal proceedings,” the studio concluded.
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