No Touchy, Says the Patent Office: Nintendo's Latest Palworld Gambit Fails
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Nintendo's latest legal spell against Palworld developer Pocketpair failed as the Japan Patent Office denied their touchscreen-specific patent, deeming its monster-catching mechanics uninnovative and lacking an 'inventive step' over existing 'prior art'.
Alright, mates, gather 'round, because it looks like Nintendo's been trying to cast a few legal spells, and frankly, the magic isn't quite sticking. You'll remember, of course, the ongoing saga between the big N and Pocketpair, the clever devils behind Palworld. It's been a right kerfuffle over those 'Pokémon-style monster capture and throwing mechanics' – a phrase that almost sounds like it belongs in a spellbook, doesn't it?
Well, if you thought that particular dust-up was settling, you'd be mistaken. Nintendo, bless 'em, just got another bit of bad news from the patent office. They've been trying to lock down a *touchscreen-specific* patent, presumably to put a bit of a damper on games like Palworld Mobile or even the intriguing Roco Kingdom: World. But, alas, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) looked at their application and essentially said, 'Nah, mate. Not quite.' It's like trying to patent 'jumping' in a platformer – good luck with that, eh?
This latest rejected patent, application no. 2026-019762 for those keeping score, was a spin-off from a previous attempt related to monster-catching. This one specifically targeted touch-based devices. The claim language was all about 'a game program executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus equipped with a touch panel' – fancy words for 'a mobile game, innit?' – and then went on to describe using a 'capture item for capturing a field character' and having those characters fight. Sound familiar? Probably. And that's exactly where the JPO examiner threw a spanner in the works.
According to the JPO examiner, 'The above is simply a general monster-catching rule set. There is nothing technologically innovative about it.' Ouch. That's a pretty blunt assessment, isn't it? Basically, they're saying there's no 'inventive step' over 'prior art,' which in wizarding terms means 'someone already did this spell, you're just using a slightly different wand.' Nintendo apparently amended their claims back in February, and they *can* try again, but Eurogamer (who brought us this delightful piece of legal theatre, via Fran Ruiz) reckons it'll be 'another uphill battle.' And honestly, after seeing this, I'm inclined to agree. It's like trying to re-invent the wheel, but with slightly more finger-swiping.
From a player's perspective, this is pretty interesting. It suggests that the core mechanics of 'catching 'em all' (or most, anyway) might be considered a bit more universal than some companies would prefer. For the Web3 gaming scene, where innovation and open-source thinking often clash with traditional IP protections, this denial just highlights how crucial true innovation is. You can't just slap a new interface on an old idea and call it proprietary magic. While Nintendo's got every right to protect its IP, the world of gaming keeps evolving at a wild, unpredictable pace. Maybe it's time for some truly new spells, eh? Keep those screens clean, mates!
Massive thanks to Eurogamer and Fran Ruiz for casting light on this one! You can check out the original scoop right here
Tags: Palworld, Nintendo, GamingLaw, Patent, MobileGaming
Original article: Eurogamer