Revoked Patents: The Bold Move That Weakens Nintendo Against Pocketpair (Palworld)
The U.S. Patent Office reopens Nintendo’s Palworld patent claim, putting Pocketpair in a stronger position and questioning Nintendo’s legal strategy.
The patent battle between Pocketpair and Nintendo over Palworld’s similarities to Pokémon has taken another surprising twist — and this time, the American authorities have stepped in, putting serious pressure on the Japanese giant.
A Rare Move from the U.S. Patent Office
The Pocketpair vs. Nintendo conflict, which started in early 2024, just reached a turning point. The director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, John A. Squires, has personally ordered a reexamination of a Nintendo patent covering a feature that lets players summon a secondary character able to fight in different modes.
Such a direct intervention from the USPTO director is extremely rare — it wasn’t requested by any company but initiated internally. According to analyst Florian Mueller (Games Fray), Squires found that older patents from Konami (2002) and Nintendo itself (2019) already describe the same mechanic. If confirmed, Nintendo’s patent could be canceled altogether.
HUGE blow for @Nintendo: head of U.S. patent office takes RARE step to order reexamination of “summon subcharacter and let it fight in 1 of 2 modes” #patent
Public outrage, starting with a @games_fray article, must have led the @uspto to take a 2nd look.https://t.co/9fxetdB5Lm — games fray (@games_fray) November 4, 2025
Why This Decision Weakens Nintendo
The reexamination comes only weeks after Japan’s Patent Office rejected a similar Nintendo complaint, citing ARK: Survival Evolved as a prior example. For Nintendo, this is another blow to its credibility in the Palworld dispute.
If the patent falls, Nintendo loses its key legal argument against Pocketpair — a major setback in its attempt to frame Palworld as a Pokémon clone. Courts in the U.S. would also likely pause any lawsuit until the reexamination is complete.
The Broader Impact on the Patent System
This case goes far beyond Nintendo. The U.S. Patent Office hasn’t launched a reexamination like this in over a decade, and experts believe the agency wants to restore trust and transparency in its process. Squires has previously stated his goal: only strong, defensible patents should be granted — not vague ones that crumble under scrutiny.
While Nintendo still owns many legitimate and innovative patents, critics accuse it of trying to monopolize gameplay ideas through overly broad protections. The company also faces two more legal battles in Germany this December against a BlackBerry-affiliated licensing firm.
What It Means for Pocketpair and Palworld
For Pocketpair, this development is a huge relief. As a smaller studio, it cannot afford prolonged legal wars with a powerhouse like Nintendo. If the U.S. patent is invalidated, the entire foundation of Nintendo’s argument collapses — potentially ending the dispute in Pocketpair’s favor.
Industry observers see this as a win for creative freedom in game development, preventing major publishers from over-patenting gameplay mechanics.
Pocketpair Expands Beyond Palworld
While the legal drama unfolds, Pocketpair is moving full speed ahead. The studio has confirmed that Palworld 1.0 will release in 2026, one year after its early-access debut.
With over 32 million players across all platforms and 25 million copies sold, Palworld stands as one of the biggest indie hits of the decade. Its inclusion in Xbox Game Pass was a catalyst, but the numbers show organic success far beyond that.
New Games in Development
Pocketpair is not stopping there:
- Pal♡world! ~More Than Just Pals~ – a romantic life-sim inspired by dating games.
- Palworld: Palfarm – a farming and management title reminiscent of Stardew Valley.
- Dead Take – developed by Surgent Studios and published by Pocketpair, already praised by critics.
The studio recently announced partnerships with Sony Music and Aniplex to accelerate its global growth and expand beyond the Palworld universe.
In Conclusion: What’s Next
This ongoing legal saga could reshape how patents are interpreted in the gaming industry. For Nintendo, it’s a moment of reckoning; for Pocketpair, it’s validation. Whether the U.S. Patent Office ultimately cancels the patent or not, the message is clear: the era of unchecked gameplay patents might be ending.
Until then, you can play Palworld on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5, and Steam, where it remains available via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
A video game enthusiast ever since I first got my hands on a Game Boy. Over the years, I've played many different games across various genres, discovering hidden gems and niche titles along the way. I'm also passionate about technology, always up-to-date with the latest news and insight in the PC and Console market. Ready to share and bring you the latest news !
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