Nintendo and the Pokemon Company filed a lawsuit against Palworld developer Pocketpair for infringement of multiple patent rights last September 18, 2024.
Nintendo's website published a press release stating that the companies are also seeking compensation for damages. While this isn’t unusual for the video game titan, fans of both Nintendo and Palword are wondering what patents Pocketpair infringed this time around.
As the news about Nintendo’s lawsuit against Pocketpair circulates online, it is worth noting that the lawsuit is for patent infringement, not copyright infringement, as many thought of when they saw Palworld’s Pal designs.
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When it comes to video game patents, many gamers think of Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor’s Nemesis System. It was a brilliant mechanic that allowed enemies who survived or bested the player in battle to remember what happened and react to these events accordingly. It made the game feel alive, and battling these enemies once again felt like facing a nemesis, a name so aptly perfect for the mechanic that Warner Bros. patented the Nemesis System in 2021.
It is possible that Pocketpair allegedly used a similar Nintendo-patented mechanic for Palworld. While anyone can exercise their rights to defend their registered patents, many gamers are against patenting video game mechanics.
This practice prevents the implementation of impressive mechanics, such as the Nemesis System, for other game titles from a different developer or publisher. Imagine playing a fantasy game similar to The Witcher 3 where enemies who survived or defeated Geralt remember what he did and respond accordingly with brand new dialogue, movesets, and appearances (based on how he injured them during the prior encounter).
While companies protect themselves through these patents, these unfortunately affect future games. No games have used a mechanic similar to the Nemesis System to date.
click to enlargeNintendo is known for its notoriety regarding cease and desist orders and lawsuits, and many players are not surprised to see them file one against Pocketpair. Both Nintendo’s lawsuits and the patented Nemesis System are a possible litmus test of what is to come for the gaming industry.
With games becoming increasingly expensive while having sub-par qualities plagued with bugs and undesirable microtransactions, gamers and consumers will have to let their wallets speak for themselves.
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