Nintendo and The Pokémon Company Sue "Palworld" Developer Over Patent Infringement

The creator of the popular survival adventure game Palworld is now the target of a lawsuit alleging patent infringement, filed by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, the firms announced on Thursday.

Palworld, developed and published by Tokyo-based Pocketpair Inc., has been accused of infringing on multiple patent rights held by the plaintiffs. The lawsuit, filed in the Tokyo District Court on Wednesday, seeks an injunction to halt game sales and distribution and demands significant monetary damages.

Released in mid-January, Palworld—often dubbed "Pokémon with guns"—has been a massive success, garnering over 25 million players in just its first month. The game allows players to capture and train cute creatures called "pals" using firearms, a controversial yet unique spin that differentiates it from other creature-collection games.

Despite the lawsuit, Pocketpair Inc. has yet to issue a statement, and representatives were unavailable to comment on it at the time of this report.

Earlier this year, The Pokémon Company declared its intention to investigate any violations of its intellectual property and pledged to take action if necessary. This lawsuit is seen as part of that commitment.

In a separate development, Pocketpair announced in July that it would launch Palworld Entertainment Inc., a joint venture with Sony Music Entertainment and Aniplex Inc., to expand its licensing business internationally. How the legal dispute may affect these expansion plans remains to be seen.

The case highlights ongoing concerns in the gaming industry surrounding protecting intellectual property and the blurred lines between inspiration and infringement.