The Japan Patent Office just handed Nintendo a major setback in its legal crusade against Palworld. Regulators rejected several patent claims on touchscreen devices.

Nintendo and Pocketpair are currently embroiled in legal issues over the game. Nintendo had filed a lawsuit against the developer for patent rights infringement.

Nintendo alleges Palworld's orb-based capture mechanics infringe on the Pokémon franchise. The lawsuit was filed in 2024 and has continued into 2026 without a clear resolution in sight.

The patent claims recently rejected by the Patent Office (application no: 2026-019762), filed in 2026, mainly involved touchscreen mechanics such as throwing items to capture creatures, tapping the screen to move characters, summoning caught monsters, and more.

"The above is simply a general monster-catching rule set. There is nothing technologically innovative about it," a Japan Patent Office examiner said about the claims.

The analysis reportedly concluded that Nintendo's patent claims lacked an "inventive step" when compared to existing "prior art."

Nintendo previously amended its claims in February 2026 to make a stronger case. The currently rejected claim mainly addresses monster-catching mechanics on touchscreen devices.

In 2024, when the lawsuit was filed, Pocketpair made major changes to Palworld to avoid damages. The game is no longer exactly the same as it used to be.

Palworld Features That No Longer Seem Similar to Nintendo's Pokémon

On November 30, 2024, Pocketpair released a new patch for Palworld. The patch removed the ability to throw Pal Spheres to summon Pals.

This ability appeared similar to the way Pokémon are summoned in Nintendo media. Naturally, it was one of the most obvious features targeted by the lawsuit.

Since this change, Pals now appear next to the player with a more static animation. Another patch also removed the ability to glide using Pals, meaning players can now only glide with gliders.

“Several other game mechanics were also changed with this patch. As many have speculated, these changes were indeed a result of the ongoing litigation," the Palworld team wrote.

"Everyone here at Pocketpair was disappointed that this adjustment had to be made, and we fully understand that many players feel the same frustration."

The team also expressed its deepest regrets for the changes. At the same time, they explained to disappointed fans that the changes were necessary to protect the game in the long run.

Palworld is still up and running as of May 2026. The game continues to receive regular gameplay and content updates. It also still has a sturdy player base.

Pocketpair remains committed to developing the title despite Nintendo's legal pressure. In its statement, the company expressed its commitment to continue developing the game despite Nintendo's actions.

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Written by

Prit Chauhan

Edited by

Pulkit Prabhav