Nintendo and the Pokémon Company are seeking approximately $65,700 in damages from the lawsuit. Palworld developer Pocketpair. a press release Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are seeking ¥5 million each (plus late fees), for a total of ¥10 million, or $65,700, the studio said in a release Friday.
At first glance, it seems like a pittance to copy one of the most successful gaming properties of all time, especially when you consider that Tropic Haze, creator of the now-defunct Yuzu Switch emulator, agrees. Must pay $2.4 million To settle his latest case with Nintendo. While Nintendo and the Pokémon Company would like to sue more, their legal approach may have limited their options somewhat.
Two if you remember In September, he sued Pocketpair, they didn’t charge it with copyright infringement. Instead, they went for patent infringement. On Friday, Pocketpair listed three patents that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company accuse the studio of infringing. Per Bloombergthey relate to gameplay elements found in most Pokémon games. For example, one covers the franchise’s signature combat mechanics, while the other deals with how players can ride monsters.
The Pokémon games have featured this mechanic since the beginning, but here’s the thing: all three patents were filed and granted to Nintendo and The Pokémon Company after Pocketpair was released. Palworld The earliest patent, for example, was issued to Nintendo and the Pokémon Company on May 22, 2024, or about four months later. Palworld first Click on Steam and Xbox Game Pass.
According to Pocketpair, the two companies are seeking “compensation for a portion of the damages incurred between the date the patents were filed and the date this lawsuit was filed.” In other words, it’s a small window of time that the suit targets.
I’m not a lawyer, so I won’t comment on Nintendo’s strategy of trying to enforce later-issued patents. Palworld was already on the market. However, I think Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe said before the game’s release that Palworld there were “cleared legal opinions” suggesting the studio was looking at Nintendo’s patent portfolio for possible points of conflict. In any case, the Tokyo District Court is scheduled to hear opening statements from both sides next week.
