Nintendo Suing Palworld Over Patents

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As a seasoned gamer who’s been around since the days of Pong and Pac-Man, I must say I’ve seen it all – but Nintendo suing Palworld over patents? That’s a new one!

Nintendo Suing Palworld Over Patents
top-mob.com
Samuel Brickell

Well, we saw this coming, as now we have Nintendo Suing Palworld!

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But it’s not over copyright infringment but instead nasty patents.

However, does PocketPair stand a chance against the godlike legal meance of Nintendo?

Nintendo Suing Palworld

It’s no great surprise that this has happened. It appears that legal action against Palworld by Nintendo has commenced, but contrary to what some overly active social media users might lead you to think, the details of the situation are quite different.

In simpler terms, there’s no copyright issue here as both games feature similar-looking lions, but it’s important to note that we may be straying into the realm of video game patents instead.

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Essentially, a patent gives a company exclusive rights to safeguard their unique invention from being reproduced or disseminated by other entities. In the context of video games, this extends not only to the mechanics but also to specific features as well.

In 1995, Namco obtained a patent for incorporating “additional” mini-games into loading screens, which effectively gave them exclusive rights to create such loading screen minigames. Fortunately, this patent expired in 2015, just as loading times significantly increased, allowing other game developers to capitalize on this opportunity.

Or even EA took out a patent for the Nemesis System found in Shadow of Mordor.

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As a gamer, I’m finding it hard to believe that Nintendo is taking legal action against Palworld due to their catching mechanism! From what I can gather, this patent seems to focus on the concept of capturing monsters in 3D landscapes, which appears to be a significant part of the Pokémon Arceus game released last year. Notably, it’s the ball capsule used for capture that’s at the heart of this issue.

Easy fix Pocketbros make that thing a cube!

However, regarding Digimon, Dragon Quest Monsters, and similar games that employ this system, it’s unclear as to why Nintendo appears to be at odds with the smaller development team, Pocketpair.

In a somewhat concerning turn of events, it appears that the ongoing lawsuit could potentially serve as a stepping stone for Nintendo, allowing them to easily establish a legal precedent in future instances.

Regardless of whether you believe Palworld is a shameless copy, there’s no denying that Nintendo’s action in this case seems rather careless or unsophisticated.

Patents Suck

Did you recall when The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was launched, and its gameplay seemed reminiscent of Garry’s Mod? Interestingly, Nintendo attempted to secure a patent for the entire concept of combining items, mechanisms, and other elements – similar to the rope tool from Gmod.

If Nintendo wins their lawsuit against Palworld, it would grant them extensive freedom to take legal action against other games with similar concepts, specifically those that involve capturing creatures in a three-dimensional setting. However, please note that this discussion does not focus on specific design elements but rather the overall concept of catching monsters in 3D environments.

There are so many other games that have done that now and before.

Fortunately, the EU doesn’t endorse software patents, which contrasts with the global practice. This situation, however, tends to suppress and restrict an inherently creative but often stifled medium.

While copyright is generally beneficial for game development companies, its misuse by certain platforms is a concern. Interestingly, strict and universal application of copyright principles, as seen in the case of Nintendo, can potentially hinder the creation of innovative new games.

Furthermore, consider this scenario: If another inventor patented an element akin to the “drop” in music, it would essentially spoil its unique charm for others.

Although Nintendo is currently suing Palworld, I’m hoping that PocketPals will emerge victorious. Nevertheless, considering Nintendo’s significant influence in Japan as a popular tourist destination, it might not turn out that way.

I am not even that big into Palworld; it just stinks to see a massive corporation try and monopolize game mechanics. Keep in mind Pocketpals are based in Tokyo, so things are not looking good!

It’s likely they put aside their Steam earnings for a robust legal defense, given that large corporations often eliminate smaller studios through costly legal battles.

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2024-09-20 16:30