Japan’s Patent Office has recently turned down Nintendo’s application related to the ongoing Palworld lawsuit due to a perceived lack of originality. This ruling raises important questions about the validity of various Nintendo patents that detail creature capture systems essential to their claims against Palworld.

On September 19, a year after Nintendo and The Pokemon Company filed a joint patent infringement case against Palworld developer Pocketpair, the Tokyo District Court has not yet brought the case to trial.

JPO States Patent Is Not Unique

In late October 2025, the Japan Patent Office rejected Nintendo’s patent application no. 2024-031879. The examiner concluded that the application was not original enough to qualify as a valid invention, referencing prior examples including Monster Hunter 4, ARK: Survival Evolved, the gacha game Kantai Collection, Pocketpair’s own Craftopia, and even Pokemon GO, all released before the critical priority date in December 2021.

Potential Implications on Lawsuit

Although this rejection doesn’t directly influence the current Palworld lawsuit filed by Nintendo, which has 60 days post-rejection to amend or appeal the decision, it may indirectly impact Pocketpair’s defense against Nintendo’s infringement claims. The ongoing litigation is expected to continue well into 2026, as Nintendo considers how this development affects their legal strategies.

Additional Challenges Ahead

Another related patent concerning a ride-switching system (JP7528390) is also under scrutiny, having seen an unusual amendment request in the middle of ongoing litigation—an uncommon practice that could further delay proceedings. Judge Motoyuki Nakashima, presiding over the case, is not obliged to follow the JPO’s findings, but the decision may influence his rulings moving forward.