Pocketpair’s “we don’t know why” response was about timing: on September 19, 2024, the Palworld developer said it had been told about Nintendo and The Pokémon Company’s lawsuit but had not been notified which specific patents were at issue. The companies had filed the patent-infringement case the day before. Pocketpair later said the plaintiffs named three patents and sought an injunction and money damages.
What did Nintendo and The Pokémon Company file?
Nintendo’s September 19, 2024 announcement says Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against Pocketpair in Tokyo District Court on September 18. They said they were seeking an injunction and damages over Palworld. Nintendo’s announcement describes alleged infringement of multiple patent rights; it does not identify the disputed game mechanics.
That is the companies’ allegation, not a court finding. Nintendo’s announcement frames the case as patent infringement, so it should not be recast as a lawsuit alleging copyright infringement merely because Palworld creatures have been compared to Pokémon.
Why did Pocketpair say it did not know?
In its September 19 response, Pocketpair said it had received notice of the lawsuit but not the specific patents it was accused of infringing. The company wrote: “At this moment, we are unaware of the specific patents we are accused of infringing upon, and we have not been notified of such details.” It said it would begin legal proceedings and investigate the claims. Pocketpair’s initial statement does not identify an individual speaker.
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So the “no idea” phrasing is easy to overread. Pocketpair was describing what it knew at the time about the patents behind the suit, not claiming that it was unaware Nintendo had filed a case or that no allegations had been made.
What patents and damages did Pocketpair later report?
In a later account, Pocketpair said the plaintiffs identified three patents and requested an injunction. It described the requested monetary relief as 5 million yen plus late-payment damages from each plaintiff: 5 million yen for The Pokémon Company and 5 million yen for Nintendo. These are Pocketpair’s descriptions of the claims, not amounts awarded by a court.
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| Patent number | Application date reported by Pocketpair | Registration date reported by Pocketpair |
|---|---|---|
| 7,545,191 | July 30, 2024 | August 27, 2024 |
| 7,493,117 | February 26, 2024 | May 22, 2024 |
| 7,528,390 | March 5, 2024 | July 26, 2024 |
The numbers and dates in the table are as Pocketpair reported them; they are not court findings. Pocketpair also said Palworld was released on January 19, 2024, and that it would continue to assert its position in future proceedings. Pocketpair’s later report does not establish that the plaintiffs’ allegations have been proved.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What did later patent developments mean for the case?
Later reporting discussed arguments by both sides about prior art, including whether examples such as a game mod could qualify. Those are legal arguments; their effect is for the court to decide. GamesRadar’s reporting describes the lawsuit as ongoing, but does not establish its status as of October 8, 2026. GamesRadar’s coverage is reporting on the parties’ positions, not a ruling.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Separately, PC Gamer reported on October 31, 2025, that the Japan Patent Office rejected a Nintendo patent application related to creature-catching mechanics, citing prior art. The report says that application was not directly relevant to the Palworld lawsuit, even though it was related to patents in the same family. That decision does not by itself determine whether any of the three patents Pocketpair listed is valid or resolve the lawsuit. PC Gamer’s report concerns that separate application.
Quick Recap
What is established—and what is not?
- Established in the companies’ public statements: Nintendo and The Pokémon Company announced a patent-infringement suit filed in Tokyo on September 18, 2024; Pocketpair initially said it had not been notified of the specific patents.
- Later described by Pocketpair: three patent numbers and the plaintiffs’ requested injunction and damages.
- Not established by those statements: that Pocketpair infringed the patents, that the requested damages were awarded, or that a separate patent-office rejection decided the lawsuit.
- Current status: the cited later reporting does not verify whether the case remains pending, has settled, or has been decided as of October 8, 2026.
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