A Japanese patent lawyer recently visited the Tokyo District Court to access Nintendo’s lawsuit files against Pocketpair, the developer of Palworld. The documents reveal that Pocketpair is determined to defend its game.
The company argues that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company shouldn’t have been granted three patents used in the lawsuit, as the mechanisms were already used in other games before Nintendo filed for patent protection between February and July 2023.
Prior Art in Gaming
Pocketpair cites several notable games that used similar systems before Nintendo’s patent filings. These include Ark: Survival Evolved, Final Fantasy XIV, Tomb Raider, Far Cry 5, Path of Exile, and Monster Hunter 4G/Ultimate. The developer claims that these games demonstrate prior art, undermining Nintendo’s patent claims.
Other games, such as Rune Factory 5, Titanfall 2, and Pikmin 3 Deluxe, feature mechanics like releasing monsters or using items to catch them, which are similar to those in Palworld. Pocketpair also points to its own previous game, Craftopia, as an example of prior art.
The Japanese patent lawyer notes that while Pocketpair is well-prepared to defend Palworld, the lawsuit’s outcome depends on proving that Nintendo’s patents are invalid. Since Nintendo is suing for multiple patent infringements, Pocketpair must win every claim to minimize damages.
The source of this information is VGC.