- Nintendo and The Pokemon Company have sued Palworld makers Pocketpair for patent infringement.
- The lawsuit was filed in the Tokyo District Court on September 18, 2024, and seeks an injunction against infringement and compensation for damages.
- Former legal officer of the Pokemon Company Don McGowan has already stated that Palworld is a ripoff.
Even months after the game’s release, every gamer was wondering whether Nintendo would come after Palworld or let the similarities lide. Well, the “Pokemon with guns” game Palworld has finally heard its last call. According to a news release, Nintendo and The Pokemon Company are suing Palworld makers Pocketpair for patent infringement. Nintendo filed the lawsuit in the Tokyo District Court on September 18, 2024.
Nintendo Sues Palworld on Patent Infringement
In the lawsuit, Nintendo mentions the infringement of the Pokemon IP as it says, “This lawsuit seeks an injunction against infringement and compensation for damages on the grounds that Palworld, a game developed and released by the Defendant, infringes multiple patent rights.” Furthermore, Nintendo confirmed that it would take necessary action against any infringement of its intellectual property rights.
Nintendo says the lawsuit is to protect the intellectual properties it has worked hard to establish over the years. During the initial days, Nintendo dealt with the modders who created Pokemon characters within Palworld. However, this is the first time the company has mentioned the game. The ex-chief legal officer of the Pokemon Company Don McGowan already stated “Palworld is a ripoff” when it first arrived.
Ever since then, Nintendo has been quiet regarding the situation. Palworld already broke multiple Steam records and even recently got a Sakurajima DLC update for more content. Despite that, the game has also seen a huge drop in player numbers.
The shocking part for most fans is how long it took Nintendo to file a lawsuit against Palworld. With a notable number of similarities in Pals and Pokemons, it was certain a legal battle was incoming.
What do you think of the situation now that Nintendo and The Pokemon Company finally sued Palworld maker Pocketpair? Do you think they should make better Pokemon games instead with that resource? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
