Nintendo Files Patent Lawsuit Against Palworld: Is Monster-Capturing at the Core?

In a recent legal move, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed a lawsuit against Pocket Pair, the developers of Palworld, accusing them of infringing on their patent rights. While the character designs in Palworld have long been compared to those in Pokémon, Nintendo is pursuing the case based on patent rights rather than copyright infringement. The focus of the claim seems to be on the game’s monster-capturing mechanics, specifically the act of throwing a ball-like object to capture creatures—something central to Pokémon gameplay. The patent Nintendo is leveraging is likely Patent No. 7545191, filed in July 2023, and quickly approved through a fast-track process. This strategy, known as “patent trapping,” is designed to protect existing intellectual property by tweaking patent claims to align with infringing products. While it’s unclear if this is the exact patent being used, it highlights Nintendo’s powerful patent portfolio and their readiness to defend it when necessary.