Nintendo has been at war with Palworld for over a year. Made by the studio Pocketpair, the game features much of the same gameplay as the popular Pokemon series. Players go around capturing creatures, which Nintendo claims is an infringement on multiple aspects of their intellectual property. Pocketpair has stated the gameplay is different enough, and there should not be a monopoly on creature-capturing games. Multiple lawsuits have been filed, mostly in Japan with the Toyko District Court. However, the fight is coming to the United States as new patents have been filed that take aim at the competitor.

Nintendo Targets Palworld With New US Patent

The fight has centered around the idea of creature-capturing gameplay. Nintendo has made this the center of their battle. They are alleging Pocketpair ripped off the idea and added some other features to make it seem different. In the back half of 2024, a patent was secured by the gaming giant that describes the following. The first screen allows players to aim a device—such as a Poké Ball—while the second is reserved for capturing or battling a creature on a set field.

A new patent that was published on February 11, 2025, aims to cast a wider net. Reports indicate the new filing is more general. For example, the term “field character” is replaced with “virtual character.” The hope is with everything being more abstract, there is more legal standing. In terms of the big picture, this legal battle is now at risk of going global. It had been contained to Japan but now looks to involve the US courts as well.

A Messy Situation

This is a situation where no one seems to win. Nintendo has been accused of bullying, and from a gamer’s perspective, it doesn’t carry goodwill towards the company. For PocketPair, they have to focus on a legal battle rather than creating more fun experiences for their players. One thing is clear: the gaming giant isn’t backing down. Many wondered after some of their claims were rejected they would just move on.

That does not seem to be the case. Nintendo hopes to expedite the process of all of its claims to get the supposed knock-off taken down. All of the legal stuff hasn’t slowed down the popularity of the new game. On Steam, it is one of the most well-reviewed and downloaded games. Gamers anxiously await updates and different events that happen in-game. It will be interesting to see what happens with this ongoing legal situation, especially now that it is becoming more global.