On September 18, 2024, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed a lawsuit against Pocketpair Inc. in Tokyo District Court. The lawsuit alleges that Palworld infringes on multiple patents held by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.
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Nintendo confirmed that it is taking legal action to protect its intellectual property. The company addressed the importance of defending its IP including the Pokémon brand, which it has cultivated over many years.
Palworld is a survival-adventure game developed by the indie studio Pocketpair Inc. It was released in early access in January 2024 on Steam and Xbox Game Pass. The game is around players capturing, training and battling creatures called Pals.
These creatures share uncanny similarities to the Pokémon creatures. In a twist, Palworld incorporates gunplay into the gameplay leading to its nickname, “Pokémon with guns.”
Pocketpair has stated that Palworld blends monster-collecting elements with survival crafting gameplay, drawing inspiration from other survival games like Ark: Survival Evolved and Valheim.
From its first trailer in 2021, Palworld gained attention for its resemblance to Pokémon especially its creature-collecting mechanics. The game became a viral hit and by January 2024, fans began calling it a Pokémon clone or rip-off.
The controversy escalated when a modder posted a video clip showing Pokémon character Ash Ketchum in Palworld leading to claims that Nintendo had come for the modder.
In June 2024, Takuro Mizobe, the CEO of Pocketpair addressed the controversy. Mizobe stated that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company had not yet raised any formal complaints at that time.
He expressed his admiration for Pokémon, admitting that he grew up with the franchise and held great respect for it. Mizobe also confirmed that Palworld had passed legal checks and was operating within the legal framework.
Nintendo and The Pokémon Company had been monitoring Palworld since its release. In January 2024, the companies announced that they would investigate claims of copyright infringement after fans pointed out similarities between Palworld and Pokémon.
On September 19, 2024, Pocketpair officially responded to the lawsuit. The developer acknowledged the legal case, offering an apology to fans for any worry or discomfort caused by the legal action.
Pocketpair claimed it was unaware of the specific patent rights it had allegedly infringed upon, expressing confusion over the exact details of the accusations.
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The company voiced disappointment over the need to divert time and resources from game development to handle the legal battle especially given its status as a small indie developer.
Pocketpair also expressed determination to continue supporting its fanbase while ensuring that indie developers remain creative and innovative despite legal challenges.
The lawsuit is around patent infringement with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company claiming that Palworld violates several patents related to Pokémon. The exact patents in question have not yet been made public, but they likely involve gameplay mechanics, creature designs or other intellectual properties that are integral to the Pokémon brand.
Patent infringement is a serious allegation in the gaming industry, as it can lead to legal consequences including financial penalties and the removal of the infringing content from the market.
The lawsuit may result in the game being pulled from various digital platforms such as Steam, where it is currently available in early access for $29.99.
If Nintendo succeeds in its case, Pocketpair could be required to make changes to Palworld to avoid infringing on Nintendo’s patents or they may be forced to cease distribution entirely.
Pokémon has been a cornerstone of Nintendo’s brand since its debut as a role-playing game on the Game Boy in 1996. The franchise has expanded the video games, encompassing television shows, movies, trading cards, merchandise and mobile apps such as Pokémon GO.
As one of the highest-grossing media franchises in history, Pokémon remains critical to Nintendo’s overall business strategy. By filing a lawsuit against Palworld, Nintendo is sending a clear message to the gaming industry that it will not tolerate any attempts to capitalize on the success of its flagship franchise without proper authorization.
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