Nintendo and The Pokemon Company have filed a lawsuit against the maker of the survival adventure game Palworld for patent infringement, the companies said Thursday.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in the Tokyo District Court, seeks an injunction and damages, alleging that the game, made by Tokyo-based Pocketpair Inc., infringes multiple patent rights.
Palworld, also known as “Pokemon with guns,” became an instant hit after its release in mid-January. In the game, players can use guns to capture and train adorable creatures known as “pals.”
Pocketpair reported Wednesday that the company has been notified of a patent infringement lawsuit, but it did not know which specific patents the company is allegedly infringing.
The company will initiate appropriate legal proceedings and launch investigations into the claims, it said in a statement.
“It is truly unfortunate that this lawsuit forces us to spend a lot of time on matters that have nothing to do with game development,” the company said.
The Pokemon Company said in January that it would investigate and take action against any infringement of intellectual property rights.
Pocketpair announced in July that it would partner with Sony to promote the licensing of Palworld worldwide.
© Thomson Reuters 2024
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