New Details Emerge on Nintendo’s Lawsuit Against Palworld Devs Over Alleged Pokémon Patent Infringement

New details have emerged on Nintendo’s lawsuit against PocketPair’s Palworld over alleged Pokémon Patent Infringement.

The news came from PocketPair earlier today, which revealed that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company is actively seeking 10 Million Yen (around $66,000 USD) in damages over alleged patent infringement.

According to Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, Palword developers PocketPair infringed on three different patents.

Patent No. 7545191
[Patent application date: July 30, 2024]
[Patent registration date: August 27, 2024]

Patent No. 7493117
[Patent application date: February 26, 2024]
[Patent registration date: May 22, 2024]

Patent No. 7528390
[Patent application date: March 5, 2024]
[Patent registration date: July 26, 2024]

The patent dates have caused some confusion online. Some question whether Nintendo can sue for patents that were applied for and registered after the release of Palworld, which was released on January 19, 2024. For those confused, Nintendo has done what’s called ‘Parent Patenting,’ essentially connecting the new patents to existing ones and making them valid.

PocketPair say that they “will continue to assert our position in this case through future legal proceedings” on the lawsuit. The claim states that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are requesting:

• Payment of 5 million yen plus late payment damages to The Pokémon Company
• Payment of 5 million yen plus late payment damages to Nintendo Co., Ltd.

What do you think of the new details around the lawsuit? Join the discussion in the official Insider Gaming Forums.

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