Nintendo has recently responded to Pocketpair’s defense in the litigation over Palworld, asserting that the defenses employed, such as referencing mods as “prior art,” could potentially jeopardize Pocketpair’s position. The acceptance of such claims might weaken Pocketpair’s strategy in demonstrating that Palworld does not infringe on several Nintendo patents.

The conflict between Pocketpair and Nintendo commenced in September 2024, following Nintendo’s allegations that Palworld violates three of its patents. Furthermore, it has been revealed that Pocketpair is utilizing a dual-defense approach, contesting the validity of Nintendo’s patents while simultaneously asserting non-infringement.

Nintendo’s Stand on Mods in the Lawsuit

In September 2025, it was reported that Nintendo has countered Pocketpair’s initial defense regarding the use of mods. Nintendo’s legal representatives have argued that mods cannot be regarded as independent prior art since they rely on the original games to function.

As the Tokyo District Court is expected to make a ruling on this matter in the approaching months, a verdict favoring Nintendo could diminish Pocketpair’s claims regarding the validity of one of the patents involved in the Palworld litigation. Notably, mods form just a small portion of the many examples of prior art that Pocketpair has cited in response to Nintendo’s assertions of innovation.

In conclusion, although the legal proceedings may continue to evolve, Nintendo’s method of limiting the references that Pocketpair can utilize could significantly impact the outcome of the lawsuit.