GamesSurvivalPalworldAmid the Palworld dispute, one analyst says Nintendo only strikes when it wants to because it “could have sued half the gaming industry back in 2017"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesSurvivalPalworldAmid the Palworld dispute, one analyst says Nintendo only strikes when it wants to because it “could have sued half the gaming industry back in 2017"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Pocketpair)
One analyst reckons that Nintendo’s laundry list of patents means it could have sued countless games over the years, but the company is only targeting Palworld over its similarities to Pokemon now because it’s inclined to do so.
Speaking to Gamesradar+, analyst Serkan Toto explained how Nintendo sued Japanese mobile gaming powerhouse Colopl in 2017 over similar patent infringements, and eventually won ¥3 billion (around $21 million), plus licensing fees that are still being paid to this day. “It took them four years and in the end it was basically a settlement, but Nintendo won, and they sued them on the ground of six patents,” Toto says.
Nintendo this week announced that it had filed a lawsuit against Palworldover the creature-collectathon’s patent infringement, not copyright infringement, meaning it might have"given up” on arguing that Pals looked too much like Pokemons. While the details of the suit aren’t yet public, the focus on patents probably indicates that certain Palworld game mechanics are - as the Big N’s legal team will argue - under Nintendo’s ownership, for better or for worse.
We don’t know which patents the Palworld suit is going to revolve around, but it might not necessarily be something as obvious as the much-discussedmonster-catching Pokeball patent- it could be something as small as shadowy outlines on characters that are out of view.
“They have thousands and thousands of patents on other things,” Toto continues. “And they can decide when they want to initiate a lawsuit, and when they don’t want to initiate a lawsuit.”
Palworld has become a monster success and shifted tens of millions of sales in the months since its launch, so why did Nintendo choose this particular moment to declare legal action? Toto reckons that"Nintendo felt threatened"as Palworld has began expanding into multiplatform releases,anime, and merchandising of the Pals - areas whereThe Pokemon Companytraditionally makes its billions.
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Another IP expert argued that Nintendo probably doesn’t own patents strong enough to “prevent Pocketpair from making Palworld,” and this “may boil down to nothing but bullying.”
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
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5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”