Nintendo and The Pokémon Company’s lawsuit against developer Pocketpair is evidence of the threat posed by Palworld, one patent expert has said.
In an article on GamesIndustry.biz, intellectual property expert and associate at law firm MBHB Andrew Velzen argued that the shock lawsuit shows “just how seriously Nintendo views the threat of Palworld.”
Last week, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Palworld developer Pocketpair in the Tokyo District Court. Pocketpair issued a statement in response claiming it had no idea which patents it’s accused of infringing, but experts have pointed to a “killer patent” that revolves around the mechanic of catching Pokémon itself.
After Palworld’s huge launch earlier this year on PC and Xbox, comparisons were made between Palworld’s Pals and Pokémon, with some accusing Pocketpair of "ripping off" Pokémon designs. But rather than file a copyright infringement lawsuit, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have gone down the patent route.
It is worth noting that Palworld does include a mechanic that involves throwing a ball-like object (called a Pal Sphere) at monsters out in a field to capture them, similar to the mechanic seen in the 2022 Nintendo Switch exclusive Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and this may prove the key to the lawsuit.
Palworld launched on Steam priced $30 and straight into Game Pass on Xbox and PC earlier this year, breaking sales and concurrent player number records in the process. Pocketpair boss Takuro Mizobe has said Palworld's launch was so big that the developer couldn’t handle the massive profits the game generated.
Still, Pocketpair acted swiftly to capitalize on Palworld’s breakout success, signing a deal with Sony to form a new business called Palworld Entertainment that’s tasked with expanding the IP.
Velzen ran through the various patents that Nintendo may have filed in Japan specifically to take Pocketpair on, and discussed the possibility that the company may file a lawsuit in the U.S. if it successfully secures similar patents there.
“Regardless, though, I think we are seeing just how seriously Nintendo views the threat of Palworld,” Velzen said.
Velzen also noted the “interesting” timing of the lawsuit with the imminent Tokyo Game Show. Pocketpair was heavily rumored to be set to announce a PlayStation 5 version of the game at this week’s TGS, and so it proved, with a Palworld shadow drop everywhere except Japan, where the developer is now facing a patent lawsuit with Nintendo.
Still, Pocketpair hit TGS hard with an elaborate booth that showcases not just Palworld the video game, but the enormous overnight success of the brand.
We’re at Tokyo Game Show!
— Bucky | Palworld ? Tokyo Game Show (@Bucky_cm) September 27, 2024
Palworld Cosplayers, merch, a raid event and more!
If you’re in Tokyo for TGS then drop by and say hello! pic.twitter.com/BMdPKP5wHS
Pocketpair has said it will begrudgingly investigate the patent infringement claims while continuing to update Palworld despite the lawsuit, and apologized to players left concerned about the future of the game.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
