Nintendo has bolstered its case against Palworld by acquiring two more patents, potentially setting the stage for a potential court dispute with developer Pocketpair. Now holding a total of four patents, a potential lawsuit in the United States seems more imminent as we move forward in the next few months.
As reported by Gamesfray, a source dedicated to legal issues in video gaming, Nintendo has been proactively obtaining patents focusing on the workings of Palworld. Notably, they have secured their third patent with the intent to challenge the game, and a fourth is soon expected to be approved.
What patents did Nintendo already have in the US?
In simpler terms, both patents focus on gameplay aspects similar to Palworld. However, Pocketpair seems to have been aware of these patent claims and made adjustments to Palworld during update v.0.3.11, which temporarily led to problems (like my Chillet no longer appearing underground). Now that these mechanics have been altered, these patents might not be as strong in a legal battle as Nintendo originally planned.
What are the two new patents Nintendo just acquired?
On March 11th, the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued Patent No. 12,246,255 to Nintendo for “seamless transitions of game objects used for riding.” However, out of the 23 claims made, 22 were denied initially.
Nintendo then asked for a meeting with the USPTO regarding a different patent (18/652,883), which also pertains to switching rideable objects in games. After some adjustments to their claims, these modifications have been accepted. As a result, the patent is now moving forward towards full approval, and can be accessed on GamesFray.
How did Nintendo get the fourth patent through the USPTO?
To clarify, both of these patents cover the same fundamental game mechanic, however, U.S. law does not allow multiple patents for a single invention. In essence, by acknowledging this disclaimer, Nintendo accepted that they cannot hold two separate patents for the same concept.
- Link the new patent (18/652,883) to the existing one (12,246,255) to prevent them from being sold separately or used unfairly in lawsuits.
- Limit the duration of the new patent so it won’t last longer than the first one.
Although the patent hasn’t been officially issued yet, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s website shows that it has been approved and is currently marked as “Approved – Notice of Allowance Not Yet Sent” (as of April 1, 2025).
What happens next?
As a dedicated gaming enthusiast, I’m eagerly anticipating that the potential legal action between Nintendo and Pocketpair could commence as soon as spring or summer 2025. Once the new patent from Nintendo is officially listed in the USPTO’s patent registry, they will have four patents at their disposal that might be used to challenge Palworld.
It’s unclear whether Nintendo will choose to take legal action or change their mind, but the current indications suggest that a court case might be forthcoming.
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2025-04-04 01:09