GameFreak’s parent company, Nintendo, has filed a lawsuit against Pocketpair, the developers of Palworld, citing infringement on patents related to core Pokémon game mechanics. While initially undisclosed, the specific patents at the heart of the legal battle have now been revealed.
Pocketpair confirmed that three Japanese patents are central to the lawsuit, with corresponding U.S. patents also existing. Two patents revolve around the mechanic of throwing an object (like a Poké Ball) at a character in a virtual world, directly mirroring the Pokémon capturing system. The third patent concerns the technical process of transitioning from riding a vehicle or creature to walking on foot, similar to switching from riding a bike or a Pokémon in the Pokémon games.
The patents in question detail the technical implementation of these actions within a video game environment. They describe the process of aiming, throwing, and impacting a target character, as well as the seamless shift between riding and walking states.
Here are summaries and links to the patents for further details:
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Patent No. 7545191: This patent outlines the mechanics of aiming and throwing an item at a field character in a virtual space. It describes determining an aiming direction based on player input and then launching an item that affects the targeted character.
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Patent No. 7493117: Similar to the previous patent, this one details the act of aiming and releasing either an item or a “fighting character” at a target within the virtual space.
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Patent No. 7528390: This patent focuses on the transition between riding and walking states. It describes how a player character riding an aerial vehicle can automatically transition to a ground-based riding state when approaching the ground.
Palworld – Launch Trailer | PS5 Games
The injunction requests 10 million yen in damages, split evenly between Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. Pocketpair has stated that they will continue to defend their position in court.
Despite the ongoing lawsuit, Palworld’s development and release remain unaffected. The game has launched on PlayStation 5, including in Japan, and a mobile version is also in development with Krafton.
