Nintendo and a lawsuit about the violation of the Pokémon Company patent in Japan against Game Survival in the open world of Pocketpair Palworld. In the latest development, Nintendo converted one of the patents in the case, but what led to this strange movement?
Palworld is a survival game in an open world, which increased rapidly from popularity after starting Steam and Xbox Early Access on January 19, 2024 sold 8 million copies in just six days and won over 25 million players in one month.
The game world is inhabited by creatures called buddies that can be captured and used (read: Exploit) to perform various tasks. The visual appearance of the buddies and the method of capturing them by throwing the ball (PAL ball) quickly pulled comparisons to Pokémon, and the game was even called “Pokémon with Guns” for a darker, black jocular approach to the genre of collecting creatures. With a meteoric raise in Palworld’s popularity, it wasn’t a long time before the rival of Nintendo Sony met Pocketpair Form Palworld Entertainment In June 2024, a modern business undertaking aimed at expanding IPs.
Nintendo and Pokémon Company showed signs of PALWORLD guarding (for example, this Official statement from Pokémon Company in January 2024). But only September 2024 Officially announced They filed a lawsuit in Japan against Pocketpair for a violation of patent rights.
The case covers Three patents Awarded by Japan Patent Office (JPO): two related to the interception and release of monster and one associated with driving characters. All three patents were laid in 2024 after Palworld came out. However, they actually come from earlier Nintendo patents from 2021. In other words, it seems that when Palworld appeared on the stage, Nintendo assembled division patents, which were directed to fight with the alleged violation of the original Palworld patents.
Pocketpair since then introduced changes to the disputed Palworld mechanics. Laty in November 2024 removed the ability to call my buddies, throwing Pokéball with friends (now buddies simply materialize next to you after calling). In May, another Palworld update changed the way the slip in the sinner is directly grabbed buddies with a glider, now you just apply the equipment for the glider.
It is worth noting that these changes by Pocketpair are not guilty. Rather, as the Japanese patent lawyer Kiyoshi Kurihara indicated In Yahoo Japan News last month Pocketpair warns the standard three -sided defense against patent processes, which is “denial of violation, arguing that patents are invalid and avoid violation through design changes.” He also noticed that Nintendo has no advantage, because it seems that there is fierce, and Nintendo is pressing the patent violation and pushing pushing to annul the patent.
In compact, Nintendo’s Patent of driving mechanics (which he has suddenly rewritten recently) includes a system of assembly and maneuvering pre -selected “characters” (Kyr Doctor). Commenting X, Japanese lawyer Ryo Arashida indicated It can be argued that the way Palworld’s buddies operated before the updating in May, which violates the violation of the part of the patent specification, namely those that the player grabs and hanging from the character, and their subsequent control of this movement.
Before updating May Palworld, you can apply a real glider buddy for gliding (grabbing his feet). However, after updating, players must apply the fast-seizure equipment, and not the actual apply of their friends. Instead, buddies now act as passive reinforced on your slip.
Irronically, like Arashida excellentNintendo’s main argument about obtaining a patent awarded primarily was that “the character possible to go” was especially a figure, not a tool like a parachute. “For this reason, the claim in the lawsuit that the” glider “(which is a tool) is” tax form “would create a contradiction.”
This month, Nintendo has rewrited the patent of driving switching mechanics. Patent rewarding in the middle of the category is legal, unless it introduces any modern concepts or technical issues. However, as indicated by IP consultant Florian Mueller GamesfrayThis will only happen if the dispute (in this case Nintendo) believes that the patent is “at a fairly high risk of recognizing that it will be considered invalid in its original form.” Nintendo rewriting the patent makes it more full. Mueller focused on adding “even when” (-Attemo in Japanese) to formulate, noting that “even” is rarely used in patents, because it is “too clear and subjective”.
Although it is not exactly clear what nintendo motivations are behind this sudden rewarding, it is possible that it uses this as the tactics of the last to make it complex to make the patent claim be not significant.
The matter continues. Meanwhile, Pocketpair continues to update Palworld with modern functions, such as the recently released crossover terrarium.
Verity Towsend is a Japanese independent writer who previously served as an editor, collaborator and translator on the Automaton West website. She also wrote about Japanese culture and films for various publications.
