Nintendo Sues Palworld Developer Over Patent Infringement

Nintendo has initiated legal action against Pocketpair, the developer behind the popular Pokémon-inspired game Palworld, alleging infringement of several patents. The lawsuit, filed in a Tokyo court on September 18, seeks both an injunction to halt the alleged infringements and compensation for damages. Nintendo’s statement indicates that Palworld, which Pocketpair developed and released, violates multiple Nintendo patents.

Since its debut, Palworld has been likened to Pokémon, earning it the nickname "Pokémon with guns" due to its monster-collecting gameplay and its inclusion of firearms. The game’s design has drawn criticism from Pokémon enthusiasts, who argue that some of its creatures bear a striking resemblance to those from the Pokémon franchise.

Released in January for PC and Xbox, including Xbox Game Pass, Palworld quickly gained traction, contributing to Xbox’s record-setting month for console playtime. Within its first month, the game attracted 10 million players on Xbox platforms and an additional 15 million on Steam.

The success of Palworld caught the attention of The Pokémon Company, a major stakeholder in Nintendo. In late January, The Pokémon Company announced it would "investigate" Palworld for potential intellectual property infringements. However, six months later, Palworld’s creator, Takuro Mizobe, reported that no further action had been taken following that initial statement.