Nintendo’s Anti-Palworld Patent Shot Down for ‘Lacking an Inventing Step’

Expert Verified By

Japan Patent Office Tells Nintendo To Either Drop Or Modify The Lawsuit!

Story Highlight
  • Nintendo filed a lawsuit against Palworld for allegedly copying mechanics from Pokémon.
  • The Japan Patent Office has shot down the claim, saying it lacks originality.
  • The case reveals Palworld has been based on games like Ark, Monster Hunter, and more.

Following the massive success of Palworld in 2023, Nintendo immediately filed a lawsuit against the creators of the game Pocketpair, claiming that it was ripping off elements from the Pokémon franchise.

A recent development in the case has ruled in favor of Pocketpair, as the Japan Patent Office found Nintendo’s filing against Palword ‘lacking an inventive step.’ Furthermore, Nintendo has to either drop the case or modify it to proceed further.

Why it matters: Nintendo has been known to take copyright infringement seriously. However, if this case results in the loss of the Japanese publisher, it will be a rare loss for them.

Nintendo Swtich 2
Switch 2 Users Filing Lawsuits Against Nintendo For Bricked Consoles

Gamesfray did a breakdown of the case, and the Japan Patent Office stated that Palworld has mechanics similar to other games like ARK: Survival Evolved and Monster Hunter 4, among others. 

Initially, the lawsuit was aimed at Palworld’s copyright infringement related to creature capture and riding mechanics from Pokémon games.

nintendo win lawsuit switch hacker
Nintendo Wins $2 Million In A Lawsuit Against Switch Modder

With Nintendo now asked to drop or modify the case, it is likely that the Japanese gaming publisher will modify the case in order to proceed. However, the case is likely to go in Pocketpair’s favor.

Pocketpair’s lawyers even submitted documents earlier that Palworld’s mechanics were based on games like Ark, Tomb Raider, and more.

What are your thoughts on this case? Do you think Palworld is really copying Pokémon, or have the mechanics existed for long enough? Let us know in the comments below, or at the official Tech4Gamers Forums.

Was our article helpful? 👨‍💻

Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋

How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔

Gear Up For Latest News

Get exclusive gaming & tech news before it drops. Sign up today!

Join Our Community

Still having issues? Join the Tech4Gamers Forum for expert help and community support!

Latest News

Join Our Community

104,000FansLike
32,122FollowersFollow

Trending

Capcom Forecasts Stronger Launch Sales For Resident Evil Requiem Than Resident Evil Village

Capcom has announced that it expects Resident Evil Requiem to outperform the release of Resident Evil Village.

Capcom Assures Fans Resident Evil Requiem Won’t Suffer From Technical Issues

Capcom has attempted to reassure fans by stating that Resident Evil Requiem won't face the same technical problems as Monster Hunter Wilds.

Dispatch On Track To Meet Its 3-Year Sales Target In Just 3 Months

AdHoc has revealed that Dispatch has been such a major hit that it is on course to meet its 3-year sales target in merely 3 months.

Critics Crown MindsEye As 2025’s Lowest-Rated Game On Metacritic

MindsEye has the lowest Metascore out of any other game launched this year, as per a new list released by the review aggregator.

Ubisoft Halted Trading Because It Could Reportedly Be Acquired By Someone

A notable insider reveals that a Ubisoft employee told him that the company has halted trading because it could be acquired soon.