Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have filed a lawsuit against the makers of the popular game Palworld, accusing it of patent infringement.
Palworld, developed by Pocketpair Inc., gained attention in 2021 for its similarities to Pokémon and was nicknamed “Pokémon with guns.”
The legal action follows Palworld’s release in January this year, when fans noticed resemblances to Pokémon.
Shortly after the game’s launch, The Pokémon Company announced it would investigate the claims.
In a statement, Pocketpair Inc. acknowledged the lawsuit and apologized to fans for any concern caused.
The company’s CEO previously stated that the game had passed legal checks before its release.
However, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company allege that Palworld infringes on multiple patent rights and are seeking an injunction to stop the infringement, as well as compensation for damages.
Palworld has been a major success, attracting over 25 million players within a month. Like Pokémon, the game features players collecting creatures with various powers, but with additional elements such as battles involving guns, base building, and crafting.
Pocketpair responded to the lawsuit by expressing disappointment, saying it was “unaware” of the specific patents being infringed.
The developer said it would investigate the claims, but noted that it was unfortunate they would need to divert time and resources away from game development to address the lawsuit.
“We will do our best for our fans and to ensure that indie game developers can continue to pursue their creative ideas without hindrance,” Pocketpair said.
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