What you need to know
- Pocketpair, the developers of Palworld, are being sued by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for patent infringement.
- Since the lawsuit was filed in September, Pocketpair stated they were not aware of what they were being sued for, and many speculated if it was the throw and catch mechanic.
- Today Pocketpair have confirmed the 3 patents Nintendo are trying to protect, and they were filed after the games launch on January 19, 2024. Nintendo is seeking 5 million yen plus late payment damages to both them and the Pokemon Company for these infringements.
- The 3 patents are the creature capture mechanic, creature combat and movement mechanic and the dynamic mounting system.
As a tech enthusiast with a deep-rooted passion for gaming that spans decades, I’ve witnessed numerous legal battles within the industry, but this one between Pocketpair and Nintendo over Palworld is particularly intriguing. The fact that these patents were filed after the game’s release raises eyebrows, making it seem more like a case of opportunistic patenting rather than genuine innovation protection.
Since Nintendo filed a lawsuit against Pocketpair over alleged copyright violations in the widely played Xbox Game Pass game Palworld, there’s been lots of discussion in the industry about the specific patents at issue. Now that it’s been confirmed this case isn’t about character designs, people are curious about what exactly Nintendo is aiming to protect. Today, Pocketpair revealed the exact game mechanics that Nintendo claims violate its patents. Interestingly, these patents were submitted only after Palworld was released on January 19th. Nintendo is demanding 5 million yen in damages, plus late fees for both Nintendo and the Pokemon Company, totaling 10 million yen or approximately $65,548 US dollars.
Report on Patent Infringement Lawsuithttps://t.co/iS4Uk2tjWgNovember 8, 2024
The statement reads:
“Report on Patent Infringement Lawsuit
On September 19, 2024, The Pokémon Company and Nintendo Co., Ltd. (referred to as the “Plaintiffs” hereafter) filed a patent infringement lawsuit against us, concerning our game, “Palworld,” released on January 19, 2024. Here’s an update on this ongoing legal matter:
So 3 patents in total, and here’s what they are and why Nintendo can do this
Here’s the full breakdown of the patents in question as stated:
- Patent No. 7545191: This patent, owned by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, covers a mechanic for capturing creatures by throwing an object, such as a Poké Ball, in a virtual environment. It involves defining the aiming direction based on player input and determining capture success. Nintendo claims that Palworld’s creature capture system is too similar to this patented gameplay method.
- Patent No. 7493117: This patent focuses on character movement and collision, specifically in scenarios involving character interactions and pathfinding. It also addresses a mechanic where players engage in battles by launching one creature at another. Nintendo alleges that Palworld’s mechanics around creature combat infringe on this patent.
- Patent No. 7528390: This patent describes a dynamic mounting system for characters moving across land, air, and water, allowing seamless transitions between different types of terrain. Nintendo argues that Palworld’s use of a similar system for player-controlled creatures and mounts infringes on this patent as well.
In connection with the lawsuit, Nintendo is demanding compensation from Pocketpair due to the use of these systems, even though the patents were registered after Palworld’s release. The question arises as to whether this legal strategy is valid. To gain further insight, I contacted Florian Mueller, a patent expert and frequent contributor to Windows Central who has offered valuable insights on this case in the past. Mueller, author of IPFray, explained that Nintendo is employing a ‘Parent Patenting’ system:
Here, Nintendo asserts an earlier claim on the patent rights, yet strategically submitted subsequent patent applications intended to cover aspects similar to Palworld.
Indeed, it’s entirely lawful, although some might find it a bit sneaky. Different countries have distinct patent regulations, such as the U.S., which provides a one-year grace period after disclosure for filing patents. On the other hand, Japan operates on a “first-to-file” system, awarding patents to the first person who submits an application, regardless of when the invention was revealed. Filing patents after a game’s debut is legal, provided it falls within the specified timeframes. Although Nintendo’s actions are technically compliant with the law, there have been discussions about the moral implications of their strategy, as some gamers perceive it as an attempt to monopolize certain gameplay elements and undermine Palworld, which has seen remarkable success on Xbox Game Pass, particularly since its recent introduction to PlayStation (exclusively in regions other than Japan).
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2024-11-08 16:39