Palworld game developer Pocketpair has just revealed more information regarding the progress of the patent infringement case filed against them by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. According to EurogamerPocketpair says there are at least three patents that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are using to sue them.
Interestingly, the three patents match what Palworld and Pokémon fans predicted, namely Nintendo patents 7545191, 7493117, and 7528390. One of these patents is a mechanism where players can capture digital animals using thrown objects, as well as a mechanism to ride the animals.
Many people find the patent absurd considering its broad description. One lawyer specializing in copyright from Japan, Kiyoshi Kurihara, said the Nintendo patent was a "Killer Patent" that was very easy for anyone to violate.
Nintendo is said to be "insisting" on compensation of 10 million yen or around Rp1 billion and demanding the cessation of operations and distribution of Palworld games at least in Japan.
Since it was first introduced, Palworld has become a hot topic of discussion among Pokémon fans because of its similarities. Not only that, Palworld is also successful and is now a game that has a strong player base on PC and Xbox. Palworld is also said to be the dream game of some Pokémon fans who are disappointed with Pokémon games that are felt to have no development at all.
After much discussion and success on PC and Xbox platforms, Palworld was finally released for PlayStation 5 in late September. But a few weeks before its launch, Nintendo sued Pocketpair through a Japanese court.
Is Nintendo afraid of its Pokémon franchise dying because of Palworld? What do you think?
