Palworld: Nintendo takes on developer Pocket Pair

In September, The Pokémon Company and Nintendo Co., Ltd. filed a lawsuit against Pocket Pair, the developer of Palworld. In their lawsuit, the two companies accuse Pocket Pair of infringing three of their patents with the title. They are seeking an injunction against the game, as well as damages totaling 10 million yen (about 63,000 euros) plus default interest. These details were shared by Pocket Pair in a recent statement.

The patents in question include technologies that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company registered between February and August 2024. These are patents 7545191, 7493117 and 7528390 These have been registered to protect specific mechanisms and features in video games. The plaintiffs are now demanding financial compensation for the damages they have incurred since the patents were registered, as well as a sales ban for Palworld.

Palworld was released at the beginning of this year and quickly recorded impressive sales figures. Within a few weeks, the action adventure became a huge success for Pocket Pair. However, the game’s popularity sparked controversy shortly after launch when unofficial Pokémon mods in the game were discovered. The legal action taken by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company now appears to be aimed at protecting their exclusive rights to certain in-game features.

Pocket Pair stated in a press release that they would focus on the legal defense. Further details about the proceedings or possible statements will only be published on the company’s website, according to the company.