3 articlesIn a surprising, or rather not so surprising, twist, Nintendo’s patent for its monster capturing mechanic in Pokémon got rejected by Japan’s Patent Office.
It can be recalled that Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against Palworld developers Pocketpair for patent infringement. The patent revolves around a mechanic for capturing creatures by throwing an object.
According to Nintendo, the creature capture system seen in Palworld is too similar to the gameplay method they patented.
Nintendo argues that this gameplay method is protected by copyright. However, the Japan Patent Office rejected the application, citing that the patent lacked originality as similar mechanics already existed in prior games.
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The application in question (patent number 2024-031879) belongs to a family of patents that Nintendo is using against Pocketpair.
The JPO stated that many earlier games, including Monster Hunter 4, ARK: Survival Evolved, and Craftopia, were classified as “prior art”. This simply means they already used the same elements that Nintendo claims to have invented.
Despite that, it doesn’t mean that Nintendo’s legal case against Pocketpair comes to an end. In fact, the lawsuit between Nintendo and Pocketpair, which is filed in the Tokyo District Court, still goes on.
That said, this rejection could unexpectedly provide Pocketpair a leverage to win the case.
It shows that Japan’s patent office isn’t fully convinced that the mechanics Nintendo claims as its own aren’t as unique as the company thought.
How Nintendo’s Patent Application Could Go Forward
Knowing how persistent Nintendo’s legal team is means that the lawsuit isn’t going anywhere. In fact, the company still has several options.
For starters, it can amend its patent application to address the JPO’s objections or appeal the decision through Japan’s Intellectual Property High Court.
However, either take time, which also means Pocketpair can get to enjoy a little more breathing room.
Pocketpair has maintained from the start that Palworld is its own creation. The studio says that while it features collectible creatures and survival gameplay, those elements are part of a long tradition of game design, not something Nintendo invented.
The JPO’s findings support that defense, showing that similar mechanics existed across multiple franchises well before Nintendo’s patent filing.
The controversy around Palworld kicked off back in early 2024, when the game exploded in popularity for blending monster-catching gameplay with open-world survival and crafting.
Critics quickly dubbed it “Pokémon with guns,” which only fueled the debate. Not long after, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed suit against Pocketpair for patent infringement and unfair competition.
Despite this, Palworld remained a global hit and has attracted millions of players and a thriving modding community. Many fans view Nintendo’s aggressive legal approach as an attempt to control creative competition in the genre, while others see it as the company simply defending its intellectual property.
It’s worth noting that the JPO’s rejection isn’t a final verdict. The court will still make its own decision on the case, though it could have an impact on the dispute.
After all, patent office findings often influence how judges view a claim’s validity, meaning this setback could affect Nintendo’s broader legal efforts.
For full details of the application and the reasoning behind its rejection, check here.
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