Pokémon vs. Palworld Legal Battle Nears Its End After Patent Rejection

The year-long legal dispute between The Pokémon Company, Nintendo, and Pocketpair — the studio behind Palworld — appears to be nearing its conclusion. The Tokyo District Courthas officiallyrejected the Pokémon Company’s patent claim related to the creature collection system, citing a lack of innovation.

According to the ruling, the court found that similar mechanics have long existed in other games, including ARK: Survival Evolved, Monster Hunter 4, Craftopia, Kantai Collection, and even Pokémon GO.

Creature Collecting Didn’t Start With Pokémon

Historically, the concept of capturing and commanding creatures in RPGs predates Pokémon by years. The Shin Megami Tensei series was one of the first to feature demon collecting, followed later by Digimon. Despite this, Pokémon’s massive global success led many to mistakenly credit it as the originator of the idea — a misconception the court’s decision indirectly highlights.

Pocketpair’s Chances Look Strong

While the legal process is technically still ongoing and open to appeals, experts suggest that Pocketpair now has little to fear. With the core complaint dismissed, any future claims are expected to favor the indie studio. Should the case continue, the company could even be eligible for compensation for legal damages, as an interim ruling has already been issued in its favor.

The decision marks a significant moment not only for Pocketpair, but also for the broader gaming industry — reaffirming that genre mechanics and creative inspiration can coexist without belonging to a single franchise.