Pocketpair, the developer behind Palworld, has made a counteroffer in response to the ongoing legal dispute with the combined forces of Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, which seeks to reveal the specific patents allegedly infringed by the game about friends.
Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have taken legal action against Pocketpair, filing a lawsuit in September that claims Palworld infringes on several patents. While numerous theories abound about how events might unfold, ultimately, we can only await the passage of time to reveal the truth.
PocketPair’s website now features a report that publicly discloses various details regarding the ongoing legal proceedings by outlining allegedly relevant information. “The Plaintiffs assert that ‘Palworld’, launched by them on January 19, 2024, violates their next three patents, seeking an injunction against the game and compensation for damages incurred from patent registration to lawsuit filing.”
Notably, this pivotal moment unfolds as Pocketpair sets out to identify the exact trio of patents, ultimately uncovering them to be Nintendo’s very own patents 7545191, 7493117, and 7528390. I also knew that immediately. The primary example – 7545191 – while not as action-packed as others, still holds significance in showcasing how Automaton’s narrative mirrors the gameplay mechanic of capturing an in-game character, like a Pokémon, by hurling a factor (a Pokeball in this case) at them to secure ownership if successful.
The utility and registration dates for all three titles fall within a brief window from early February to late August 2024, implying that each was released subsequent to Palworld’s initial launch, with subsequent platform ports likely occurring afterwards?
Alongside the injunction opposed to Palworld mentioned earlier, Pocketpair is seeking compensation of “5 million yen plus late payment damages” from each Nintendo and TPC individually, which could total around 10 million yen should they lose the case.
“We intend to formally assert our rights in this matter through future authorized actions,” Pocketpair stated near the end of their statement.
