Nintendo and The Pokémon Company File Lawsuit Against Palworld Developer for Patent Infringement
Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have officially filed a lawsuit against Pocketpair, the developer of Palworld, for alleged “infringement of patent rights.” The action comes after long-standing concerns that Palworld, which blends survival game mechanics with monster-catching features akin to those found in the Pokémon franchise, bore too close a resemblance to Nintendo’s iconic IP.
Palworld, often described as “Pokémon with guns,” allows players to catch various creatures called “Pals” using balls, which are then used in battles and exploration. Since the game’s early access release, fans have noted similarities between Palworld and Pokémon, especially in the creature designs and core gameplay mechanics. As speculation mounted, many believed it was only a matter of time before Nintendo took legal action, which has now been confirmed roughly eight months after Palworld’s early access launch.
On September 18, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed a lawsuit in the Tokyo District Court, seeking both an injunction to stop further infringement and compensation for damages. According to the filing, Palworld allegedly infringes “multiple patent rights,” with Nintendo reiterating its commitment to defending its intellectual property. The company stated it would “take necessary actions” to protect its franchises that have been “carefully built over many years.”
As of now, Palworld developer Pocketpair has not issued a formal response to the lawsuit. Earlier in the year, Pocketpair had indicated that they had not heard from Nintendo, but Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa had previously hinted in February that the company was keeping an eye on potential infringement, stating, “We will take appropriate action against those that infringe our intellectual property rights.”
The timing of the lawsuit is particularly noteworthy. Palworld has enjoyed tremendous success during its early access phase and is available on PC and Xbox. With rumors swirling about a major reveal at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show, including the potential announcement of a PlayStation port and the game’s 1.0 release, legal action could disrupt those plans. What this lawsuit means for existing versions of the game on PC and Xbox remains to be seen.
Although Palworld has generated significant financial success for Pocketpair, a legal battle between Nintendo and The Pokémon Company is likely to be a massive and costly challenge. Fans of the game are eagerly waiting for clarification from Pocketpair about the lawsuit’s potential impact on Palworld’s future.
