Japan Denies Nintendo Monster Capture Patent

Japan Patent Office Rejects Nintendo’s Patent for Pokémon-Like Capturing Mechanic

The Japan Patent Office (JPO) has provisionally rejected a patent application by Nintendo related to a creature-capturing mechanic similar to that used in the Pokémon series. The JPO’s decision cites a lack of inventive step, concluding that the claimed mechanic is not sufficiently unique or original when compared to pre-existing games.

This rejection is a non-final ruling but is a significant development, as the specific patent application is closely linked to others that Nintendo is currently asserting in its ongoing lawsuit against Pocketpair, the developer of Palworld.

The Grounds for Rejection: Lack of Novelty

The rejected patent application described a mechanic where a player throws an item (like a Poké Ball) to capture a character or creature in the game field.

• Prior Art Cited: The JPO’s examiner referenced prior art submitted by an undisclosed third party, which demonstrated that the mechanic already existed in older video games released before Nintendo’s priority filing date (December 2021). The games cited include:
  • ARK: Survival Evolved (2015)
  • Monster Hunter 4 (2013)
  • Pocketpair’s own Craftopia (2020)
  • Kantai Collection (2013)
  • Even Pokémon GO (2016)

The JPO concluded that the claimed invention “could have easily been made by persons who have common knowledge in the technical field.” The submission of prior art, which may have been provided by Pocketpair’s legal team, was instrumental in the decision.

Implications for the Palworld Lawsuit

The non-final rejection, dated October 22, 2025, while not directly binding on the Tokyo District Court judge handling the Palworld case, carries considerable weight.

• Weakening the Core Argument: The rejected application is part of a family of patents related to “monster capture,” including two that Nintendo is using in its suit against Pocketpair. The JPO’s finding that one related patent lacks originality could cast doubt on the validity of the patents already asserted in court, potentially strengthening Pocketpair’s defense across the globe.
• Nintendo’s Next Steps: Nintendo now has a 60-day deadline to amend its patent claims, submit further arguments, or appeal the decision. Should the application face a final rejection, Nintendo may appeal to the Intellectual Property High Court.

Context of Patent Disputes

This rejection follows a controversial period where Nintendo has been actively filing or amending patents related to core Pokémon mechanics, which many observers believe is a direct response to the massive success of Palworld. In contrast to this rejection, Nintendo was successfully granted a US patent last month covering the fundamental gameplay mechanic of summoning a sub-character to fight alongside the player. The debate over patenting broad gameplay mechanics continues to be a contentious issue across the game industry.

Palworld takes us to a slow life in a colorful world with strange creatures called Pals, where players can freely play the game according to their own playstyle, whether it’s hunting down Pal and fighting bad guys, farming crops and livestock, or taking them as factory laborers. They can also sell their meat or catch them for cooking.

 origin: videogameschronicle