The Pokémon Company Sues 'Palworld' Developers for Alleged Patent Breaches
Popular survival game "Palworld" out this year now faces serious patent infringement suit. Fancying itself “Pokémon with guns,” players of the game, which combines cute creature collecting with hardcore gun fighting, use an arsenal of weapons to shoot the creatures out of the environment and train them as they travel on their adventure; the game appeals to millions.
A legal battle has resulted from this viral hit, with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company suing the game’s developers for patent infringement. The complaint, which was filed on Wednesday with the Tokyo District Court by the creators of Pokémon, alleges multiple patent infringement by Pocketpair Inc.’s Palworld and demands both an injunction and monetary damages. Pocketpair officials have not yet responded to the issue.
In January, The Pokémon Company said it was investigating whether the game had violated its intellectual property rights.
To support Palworld's global licenses, Pocketpair announced in July it would partner in a joint venture with Sony Music Entertainment and Aniplex Inc. Pocketpair was established in April 2015 and CEO Takuro Mizobe leads the team.
Note that Palworld sold more than eight million copies after only one week on the market. The current dispute is over the latest game that draws on the world of Pokémon, which has upset both companies.
