Nintendo Secures New Anti-Palworld Patent and Pursues Additional Innovations

In February 2025, Nintendo secured a patent in the U.S. aimed at countering Palworld’s creature-capture mechanics. This move indicates the company might be gearing up to broaden its legal challenges against Pocketpair, the developers of Palworld, to a global stage.

Back in September 2024, Nintendo, along with The Pokemon Company, launched a lawsuit against Pocketpair, claiming Palworld was infringing on its intellectual property. Filed in Tokyo District Court, the case has been confined to Japan thus far, but recent actions suggest Nintendo is now extending its reach by securing relevant patents in the United States as well.

According to reports from Games Fray, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently approved a patent numbered 12,220,638 on February 11, which describes a creature-capture gameplay system. This new patent bears similarities to another previously secured patent in late 2024 (No. 12,179,111). Both are part of the suite of patents central to the ongoing Palworld litigation.

A notable change in the latest patent is its approach to the creature-capture process. The original December 31 patent outlined a distinct dual-mode operation—one screen for targeting and another dedicated to capturing or battling creatures. The February version seeks to eliminate this distinction by introducing more generalized terms, swapping “field character” for “virtual character.” This strategic shift might be Nintendo’s attempt to outmaneuver Pocketpair’s defenses, as analyst Florian Mueller noted that the previous dual-mode terms might not neatly apply to Palworld.

In dialogue with Game Rant, Mueller expressed skepticism over Nintendo’s lawsuit, viewing it as an assertive stance bordering on excessive. The quest for patent protection in the U.S. could point to Nintendo’s intent to expand the lawsuit’s jurisdiction should these patents receive approval.

Some of the U.S. patent attempts have hit snags. For instance, in December 2024, the USPTO rejected most claims of a Nintendo patent application (No. 18/652,883), allowing only a single claim about a system that lets players switch virtual creatures swiftly while riding. Nintendo, however, remains undeterred. Their attorneys have sought discussions with patent examiners to advocate for incorporating additional claims, pushing forward in their patent pursuits.

Palworld, categorized as an open-world, shooter, and survival game, was released by Pocket Pair, Inc., on January 19, 2024. As the legal drama unfolds, it’s clear that both the gaming and legal landscapes are set to be significantly impacted by the outcomes of these ongoing filings and disputes.