Nintendo and the Pokémon Company are seeking approximately $65,700 in damages in a lawsuit against Pal World developer Pocket Pair. In a press release issued by the studio on Friday, the studio said that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are each seeking damages of 5 million yen (plus delay fees) for a total of 10 million yen, or $65,700.
At first glance, that’s a small amount of money required to copy one of the most successful gaming properties of all time, but it’s especially true that Tropic Haze, the developer of the now-defunct Yuzu Switch emulator, recently Especially considering that it agreed to pay $2.4 million to settle the lawsuit. Together with Nintendo. Nintendo and the Pokémon Company may have wanted to file more lawsuits, but their legal approach may have limited their options somewhat.
As you may recall, the two did not accuse Pocketpair of copyright infringement when they sued in September. Instead, they sued for patent infringement. On Friday, Pocket Pair listed three patents that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are accusing the studio of infringing. According to Bloomberg, these relate to gameplay elements found in most Pokémon games. For example, one covers the franchise’s signature combat mechanics, and the other relates to how players ride monsters.
Pokémon games have had these mechanics built in from the beginning, but here’s the problem: After Pocket Pair released Palworld into early access on January 19, 2024, all three patents were filed with and granted to Nintendo and the Pokémon Company. For example, the oldest patents were granted. On May 22, 2024, nearly four months after Palworld first appeared on Steam and Xbox Game Pass, it was announced to Nintendo and the Pokémon Company.
According to Pocketpair, the companies are seeking “compensation for a portion of the damages incurred between the date of patent registration and the date of filing of the lawsuit.” In other words, the suit targets only a small window of time.
I’m not a lawyer, so I won’t comment on Nintendo’s strategy of trying to enforce patents issued after Pal World was already on the market. However, before the game’s release, Pocket Pair CEO Takuro Mizobe said that Pal World had “cleared legal review” and that the studio had been considering Nintendo’s patent portfolio for potential conflicts. I think what you were suggesting is worth mentioning. In any case, the Tokyo District Court is scheduled to hear opening statements from both sides next week.
