A patent application by Nintendo was rejected in Japan, which could have a direct impact on the legal dispute with Palworld.
What is this patent application? The Japanese Patent Office rejected a patent application from Pokémon and Nintendo, as reported by the online magazine gamesfray.
The patent concerns the process in video games of how creatures can be captured or released. It describes a system as known from games like Pokémon and Palworld, where an object/item is thrown to catch or release a creature. The released creature can then engage in battles for the player.
Why was the patent rejected? The Japanese Patent Office allegedly rejected Nintendo’s application because it does not contain an innovative idea, but only obvious combinations of already known concepts from various games.
As examples, the authority cited games like Capcom’s Monster Hunter 4 and the survival game ARK: Survival Evolved, which existed before the cutoff date in December 2021.
In ARK: Survival Evolved, there are the so-called Cryopods, in which players can store and transport their creatures like dinosaurs. For example, you might have a T-Rex in your inventory in a Cryopod that you can release when you are attacked by wild Raptors.
What does the patent have to do with Palworld? On September 18, 2024, Nintendo filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Pocketpair, the developer of Palworld. It states that the game infringes multiple patent rights of Nintendo. These patents are supposed to protect certain gameplay mechanics found in Pokémon games.
The rejected patent is a key component of Nintendo’s patenting strategy and involves patents whose infringement is being claimed against Palworld. These include capturing creatures by throwing objects (similar to a Pokéball), riding on creatures, and the seamless transition between different riding objects as well as mechanics for managing collected creatures.
The decision of the patent office could thus impact Nintendo’s actions against Palworld, as the rejection of the patent might also influence the validity of the patents pertaining to Palworld.
Pocketpair has already defended itself in the past against the allegations of patent infringement, stating that Nintendo’s patents should not have been granted in the first place, as there were earlier games that used these mechanics. Pocketpair also cited ARK as an example. More on this here: In the legal dispute with Nintendo, the company behind Palworld defends itself against patents related to Pokémon
