Nintendo has recently been granted U.S. Patent No. 12,179,111, a significant development in its ongoing legal dispute with Pocketpair, the developers behind Palworld. This patent, filed after Palworld’s launch, covers the process of aiming and capturing characters in a game, a mechanic that closely resembles the gameplay of Pokémon.
The patent describes a gameplay system where players use a “catching item” to capture a “field character” and then engage in a battle with a “fighting character”. This system is integral to the lawsuit in Japan, where Nintendo has accused Pocketpair of infringing on multiple patents related to creature-catching mechanics.
Pocketpair has confirmed a few months ago, that Nintendo’s lawsuit involves three specific Japanese patents: 7,545,191, 7,493,117, and 7,528,390. These patents cover various game mechanics, including the use and activation of “rideable characters” and the process of aiming and throwing a captured item at a character to capture it in a virtual space.
Evidently, U.S. Patent No. 12,179,111 is the American equivalent and consolidated patent of the previous three.
In a first mode, an aiming direction in a virtual space is determined based on a second operation input, and a player character is caused to launch, in the aiming direction, an item that affects a field character disposed on a field in the virtual space, based on a third operation input. In a second mode, the aiming direction is determined, based on the second operation input, and the player character is caused to launch, in the aiming direction, a fighting character that fights, based on the third operation input.
With the approval of this patent, Nintendo is now preparing to potentially extend its legal battle to the United States. The company has also filed additional patents related to creature-catching mechanics, further strengthening its case1. This move highlights the importance of protecting intellectual property and the potential for international legal disputes over game mechanics.
Nintendo’s legal strategy involves building a “patent family” where later patents are connected to earlier filings. This approach ensures that even if specific claims are rejected, the overall patent portfolio remains robust. The recent approval of U.S. Patent No. 12,179,111 is part of this broader strategy to protect its intellectual property on a global scale.
This development has significant implications for the gaming industry, as it underscores the importance of protecting intellectual property and the potential for international legal disputes over game mechanics. It also raises questions about the boundaries of game design and the extent to which companies can claim ownership over common gameplay elements.
As the legal battle between Nintendo and Pocketpair continues, the approval of U.S. Patent No. 12,179,111 marks a critical step in Nintendo’s efforts to protect its intellectual property. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching consequences for the gaming industry and the way game mechanics are developed and protected in the future.
