Man Sues Nintendo for $341K After Pokémon Professor Application Denial
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
An Iowa man is suing Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for $341,000 after his application to become an official Pokémon Professor was denied following a background check.
Becoming an official Pokémon Professor is serious business for the competitive trading card community. The Pokémon Company relies on certified experts to oversee tournaments, enforce rules, and foster local player bases, offering special swag and event perks in return. However, one aspiring candidate is taking his rejection to extremes. As reported by Polygon and originally spotted by Iowa Capital Dispatch, a 34-year-old Iowa resident named Kyle Lee Owens has filed a lawsuit against Nintendo and The Pokémon Company seeking $341,000 in damages after his application to the program was denied.
According to court filings, Owens passed the initial certification test but hit a roadblock during the standard background check. The screening revealed a decade-old low-level felony along with a pending arrest warrant for misdemeanor charges involving disorderly conduct and property damage. The Pokémon Company promptly rescinded his application due to these findings, citing a strict code of conduct that holds Professors to high community standards. Owens argues that the denial is unfair because the legal issues are dated and he was never formally convicted of the misdemeanor charges, claiming the company shut him out of potential product sales and economic benefits.
Beyond seeking financial compensation, Owens is demanding that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company officially install him as a Pokémon Professor and accuses the publisher of holding a monopoly over organized competitive play. The situation highlights the complex ecosystem surrounding physical trading card games, where official community leaders act as vital extensions of major publishers. While community organizers certainly deserve fair processes and transparent communication, a federal lawsuit attempting to force a private company to grant certification to an applicant with an active arrest warrant is certainly an unprecedented escalation for the TCG scene.
Tags: Pokemon, Nintendo, TCG, Gaming News, Esports
Original article: Polygon