We've known that Nintendo was planning to sue Pocketpair, creators of Palworld, for some time now, but we weren't sure exactly what for. While it was pretty clear it would be down to the similarities between Palworld and Pokemon, Nintendo was tight-lipped over exactly what those patents were. Well, now we know, thanks to Pocketpair releasing a report on the lawsuit.
News in brief
The targets of Nintendo's case have been revealed
As suspected, they cover patents for catching, but also riding creatures
Amount of damages is surprisingly low
This news has come, not from Nintendo, but Pocketpair itself. In the report, detailed on Pocketpair's website, we can see that Nintendo is targeting Pocketpair over three specific patents: 7545191, 7493117, and 7528390. While the contents of each are hidden behind various legal mambo-jumbo, as usual, in short, they chiefly concern the mechanics of catching and riding various creatures.
So, that basically means Palworld's core mechanics. On the face, it seems as if Nintendo has Pocketpair bang to rights — and ultimately, the question of who is right will come down to a judgement. But it's interesting to note that Nintendo is only asking for a combined 5 million yen in damages (plus interest), which amounts to about $66,000. Hardly an astronomical sum.
However, as IP attorney Kirk Sigmon told the PC Gamer website in September, Pocketpair is potentially on the hook for millions in legal fees as well, as simply getting the case to the point where damages can be awarded is not a cheap endeavour. So simply the fact that this case is continuing could potentially be seen as a punishment for Pocketpair, as it'll be looking to pay up a lot of money regardless. While Pocketpair certainly isn't hard up for money after the success of Palworld, it still doesn't have the deep pockets of a titan like Nintendo.
Regardless of how this case goes, it's clear Nintendo is out to punish Pocketpair one way or the other.
