Late yesterday, Nintendo and The Pokemon Company filed a lawsuit against Pocketpair, the developer of the monster-collecting open-world game Palworld, alleging it infringed upon their patents. Initial reports did not specify which patents were being infringed upon, and it turns out the defendants in the case aren't sure either.

Pocketpair issued a public response to the lawsuit this morning, claiming that they are "unaware of the specific patents [they] are accused of infringing upon," and "have not been notified of such details." They have begun "investigations into the claims of patent infringement," and while they will continue working on Palworld, they regret that they "will be forced to allocate significant time to matters unrelated to game development due to this lawsuit." More than that, they believe they have an opportunity to "ensure that indie game developers are not hindered or discouraged from pursuing their creative ideas" and plan to do what they can in pursuit of that goal.

Source

 

[regnad]

Weird. So they’re suing them for stealing a patent but then not saying what the patent is? How on brand.

 

[Xzi]

Rumor is that this is what they're suing over, which would mean Nintendo is engaging in a whole other level of patent trolling now:

Not only was this filed and published after Palworld's release, but several other games and genres utilized the same/similar mechanics dating back decades.

 

[thekarter104]

I wonder if you even can create a game without problems nowadays...

 

[Searinox]

Anyone knowing IP stuff will know exactly what's up. The first rule about patent infringement is you don't know anything about any patents. If it comes out that you've researched patents the legal penalties double.

 

[therabbitofthenorth]

Ya wanna know what’s an even bigger joke than this lawsuit? The morons still harping on about how PalWorld “STOLENED” Pokemon’s designs and that’s “so totally bad!!! “

Like, bro, this is a multi-billion dollar franchise where more people believe in a yellow rat’s existence than Santa Claus. In a just society Pikachu and the rest of RBG’s copyright would have entered public domain in 2021. Instead, we have eternal copyright, and even with said eternal copyright they sued over patents (not that many people here can read let alone understand the differences), why is that?

Because legally speaking every single Pal is 100% unique and original, and Nintendo just silently admitted that. Which means that anyone who says otherwise is legally wrong according to a literal team of the most aggressive copyright ninjas lawyers on the planet.

 

[Lumpofcoal]

Palworld's lawyers will do their thing but there's nothing much the devs can do about it. Instead, they would have to start thinking about redesigning certain mechanics in the game unless they want to pay license fees to ninty to continue using existing mechanics. Another option would be to shut the game altogether but that would seem rather extreme for something that is still very profitable.

Not many are aware but ninty did sue a japanese mobile game company a few years back for patent infringement as well, not sure if it is the same patents this time though. The outcome for that was ninty withdrawing the suit in exchange for the other company agreeing to pay damages as well as license fees for being allowed to continue to use mechanics relating to those patents.

Here's ninty's statement about that the previous suit:

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/release/2021/210804.html

 

[LightBeam]

Rumor is that this is what they're suing over, which would mean Nintendo is engaging in a whole other level of patent trolling now:

View attachment 459389

Not only was this filed and published after Palworld's release, but several other games and genres utilized the same/similar mechanics dating back decades.

That would be absolutely crazy

It's just proof that Nintendo is seething whenever Palworld is mentioned, and they don't have any legal case to hold other than stupid patent trolling

Post automatically merged: Sep 20, 2024

Ya wanna know what’s an even bigger joke than this lawsuit? The morons still harping on about how PalWorld “STOLENED” Pokemon’s designs and that’s “so totally bad!!! “

Like, bro, this is a multi-billion dollar franchise where more people believe in a yellow rat’s existence than Santa Claus. In a just society Pikachu and the rest of RBG’s copyright would have entered public domain in 2021. Instead, we have eternal copyright, and even with said eternal copyright they sued over patents (not that many people here can read let alone understand the differences), why is that?

Because legally speaking every single Pal is 100% unique and original, and Nintendo just silently admitted that. Which means that anyone who says otherwise is legally wrong according to a literal team of the most aggressive copyright ninjas lawyers on the planet.

This

People just read « lawsuit » and think that it's fair because some Pals looked like real animals lol
Nintendo doesn't have a case, reminds me of what they did with Yuzu really. It's just a threat so they can hope to get what they want despite not having a case legally, they just have the money to go through

 

[osaka35]

They probably just want in on the action. we'll see when we see. don't suppose the court date has been set?

 

[Bladexdsl]

It's just proof that Nintendo is seething whenever Palworld is mentioned, and they don't have any legal case to hold other than stupid patent trolling

yep i've said it already palworld is mocking them and their archaic idiot beliefs and Japanese pride can't stand it so they must take action so they can once again feel superior

 

[osaka35]

Ya wanna know what’s an even bigger joke than this lawsuit? The morons still harping on about how PalWorld “STOLENED” Pokemon’s designs and that’s “so totally bad!!! “

Like, bro, this is a multi-billion dollar franchise where more people believe in a yellow rat’s existence than Santa Claus. In a just society Pikachu and the rest of RBG’s copyright would have entered public domain in 2021. Instead, we have eternal copyright, and even with said eternal copyright they sued over patents (not that many people here can read let alone understand the differences), why is that?

Because legally speaking every single Pal is 100% unique and original, and Nintendo just silently admitted that. Which means that anyone who says otherwise is legally wrong according to a literal team of the most aggressive copyright ninjas lawyers on the planet.

please don't try and bait people. focus on the discussion at hand.

 

[Snintendog]

please don't try and bait people. focus on the discussion at hand.

He is the fact you think that's bait is beyond hilarious. So many seeing the suit are screaming Copyright when its not that but the can of worms that is a gameplay Patent.

 

[isoboy]

While talking to a random person over the phone at work, he told me a story where a big company would ignore him when he billed them. He went to the length of threatening this big company with bankruptcy (sorry, I don't know the proper term for this) and what happens then is he told me he had to pay a large amount of money up front to cover eventual lawyer fees etc but he did it... but also he told me that what happened was (in my country anyways), the police personally knock on the door of the company's boss/manager and personally hand him the papers. And knowing this, he had TIMED it so that the papers were delivered in the middle of christmas week. He was laughing out loud telling me this and I was laughing with him.

It sure seems like Nintendo waited this one out a little bit... at least they didn't sue'em during christmas.

 

[Ferris1000]

Of course Nintendo want's a big piece of the Pie...it was just a matter of time until they take out the A-Hole Card.

 

[stanleyopar2000]

I really hope Nintendo loses

For once something you have said that I can agree with

 

[smilodon]

Ya wanna know what’s an even bigger joke than this lawsuit? The morons still harping on about how PalWorld “STOLENED” Pokemon’s designs and that’s “so totally bad!!! “

Like, bro, this is a multi-billion dollar franchise where more people believe in a yellow rat’s existence than Santa Claus. In a just society Pikachu and the rest of RBG’s copyright would have entered public domain in 2021. Instead, we have eternal copyright, and even with said eternal copyright they sued over patents (not that many people here can read let alone understand the differences), why is that?

Because legally speaking every single Pal is 100% unique and original, and Nintendo just silently admitted that. Which means that anyone who says otherwise is legally wrong according to a literal team of the most aggressive copyright ninjas lawyers on the planet.

I mean, the CEO of the company posted this to Twitter before launching Pal World :

 

[The Catboy]

I mean, the CEO of the company posted this to Twitter before launching Pal World :

View attachment 459523

And your point?

 

[Archolm]

Wish Nintendo would lose, which they won't. Also, Pal World sucked donkey balls and I strongly dislike the developer.

 

[SeventhSon7]

Palword dev responds: no u

 

[Pikachuk]

Reminds me when nintendo tried to trademark litterally the two notes of the mario coin sound.

 

[SeventhSon7]

Does FacePunch have patents related to Garry's Mod?

If so, they should sue Nintendo for infringement for Zelda: Dick Robots Edition