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Nintendo and The Pokémon Company sued Palworld developer Pocketpair in Tokyo in September 2024, alleging that the game infringes patent rights. The companies sought an injunction and damages, according to The Pokémon Company’s announcement and Pocketpair’s account of the case. Those are allegations and requested remedies—not proof of infringement or a court award.
Why are Nintendo and The Pokémon Company suing Pocketpair?
The Pokémon Company announced that it and Nintendo filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against Pocketpair in the Tokyo District Court on September 18, 2024. The claim concerns Palworld, which Pocketpair said was released on January 19, 2024. The plaintiffs said the game infringes multiple patent rights and that they were seeking an injunction and damages.
A lawsuit filing states what the plaintiffs allege; it does not establish that the defendant infringed a patent. Pocketpair has disputed the claims and the validity of the patents, so the central issues described in the available company statements remain contested.
Which patents did Pocketpair identify?
In its November 8, 2024 report, Pocketpair said the plaintiffs alleged infringement of three Japanese patents. The patent numbers and dates below are those Pocketpair reported; the dates alone do not determine whether a patent is valid or whether Palworld infringes it.
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#1 Best Overall
- Officially licensed Palworld merch. Join the hunt and capture all the creatures in this open world survival video game. Weaponize your creatures or put them to work in this unique collecting game.
- Perfect graphic apparel for fans of Video Games, Creature Collecting, Open World Games, Cute Animals, Funny Games, and Pocketpair.
- Lightweight, Classic fit, Double-needle sleeve and bottom hem
| Japanese patent number | Application date reported by Pocketpair | Registration date reported by Pocketpair |
|---|---|---|
| 7,545,191 | July 30, 2024 | August 27, 2024 |
| 7,493,117 | February 26, 2024 | May 22, 2024 |
| 7,528,390 | March 5, 2024 | July 26, 2024 |
Pocketpair’s account places the reported application and registration dates in 2024, after Palworld’s January release. That chronology is not, by itself, a ruling on the scope, validity or infringement of any patent. The company statements do not provide a court determination on those questions.
What are the plaintiffs asking for, and how has Pocketpair responded?
Pocketpair reported that the plaintiffs sought an injunction against Palworld and ¥5 million plus late-payment damages from each plaintiff. On that account, the base damages sought would total ¥10 million across the two plaintiffs, before any late-payment damages. These are amounts Pocketpair said were requested, not damages awarded by a court.
In a May 8, 2025 statement, Pocketpair said it continued to dispute the infringement claims and assert that the patents were invalid. It also said it had made compromises to avoid disruption to Palworld’s development and distribution. Those statements describe the developer’s position and explanation; they are not findings by the court.
Did Nintendo and The Pokémon Company win the lawsuit?
The available reporting does not establish a final court ruling. A June 2026 GamesRadar report described an October presentation and a November court opinion as expected at that time. It did not confirm that either event occurred or report a final decision. Accordingly, the sources described here do not establish that the plaintiffs won, that Pocketpair won, or that the case ended in a particular outcome.
What Palworld changes did Pocketpair connect to the case?
Pocketpair explicitly linked two gameplay changes to the ongoing litigation:
- Pal Sphere summoning: Pocketpair said Patch v0.3.11, released November 30, 2024, removed summoning a Pal by throwing a Pal Sphere. Instead, a Pal appeared beside the player.
- Gliding: Pocketpair said Patch v0.5.5 changed gliding so a player needs a glider in their inventory. Pals could still provide passive buffs.
These are changes the developer attributed to the litigation. Pocketpair’s explanation does not itself establish what a court would decide about the patents.
Rank #4
- Officially licensed Palworld merch. Join the hunt and capture all the creatures in this open world survival video game. Weaponize your creatures or put them to work in this unique collecting game.
- Perfect graphic apparel for fans of Video Games, Creature Collecting, Open World Games, Cute Animals, Funny Games, and Pocketpair.
- Lightweight, Classic fit, Double-needle sleeve and bottom hem
Is the Palworld case about copyright or patents?
The official case description identifies a patent-infringement lawsuit. The company statements covered here do not establish a copyright judgment or a court finding about character copying. It is therefore more accurate to describe this case as a patent dispute than to present it as a copyright ruling.
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