Nintendo Files Patent Infringement Suit In Tokyo Court Against Palworld’s Pokemon With Guns

Nintendo Files Patent Infringement Suit In Tokyo Court Against Palworld’s Pokemon With Guns

Seeks injunction and unspecified compensation for damages

Japan's Nintendo and The Pokemon Company has filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the Tokyo District Court. It accused Pocketpair of the Palworld video game, jokingly dubbed Pokemon with guns, which became an instant hit when its prototype was released early this year.

Palworld sold over five million copies in three days. It features weapon-wielding player avatars and monsters that resemble creatures of Nintendo's wildly popular Pokemon franchise.

The lawsuit sought an injunction against infringement and unspecified compensation for damages.

Nintendo added it would "take necessary actions against any infringement of its intellectual property rights to protect what it has worked hard to establish over the years.”

Meanwhile, Palworld is still developing. Its early access version costs $29.99 for US customers on Steam, the online platform.

Its description reads, "Fight, farm, build and work alongside mysterious creatures called 'Pals' in this completely new multiplayer, open-world survival and crafting game!"

While the initial reviews of the game were positive, many pointed out the eerie resemblance of the ‘Pals’ to Pokemon characters. With critics and users nicknaming it Pokemon with guns, it was felt that the game would be a meme.

Pokemon has been a global hit since it was launched as a role-playing game in 1996 for Nintendo's Game Boy console. The franchise, whose slogan is Gotta Catch 'Em All, also includes movies and a highly-popular animated TV show.