A US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) reexamination of a key patent held by Nintendo may spell trouble for the company's lawsuit against Palworld.
The patent in question, which would allow summoning fighting NPCs in 1 out of 2 modes, was granted just last September, with the review personally ordered by newly sworn-in USPTO Director John A. Squires. This move has raised eyebrows as Squires is known for siding with patent holders. Moreover, this appears to be the first reexamination of a patent at the USPTO in over a decade.
These factors suggest that Nintendo's lawsuit could backfire and spark widespread blowback. While developer Pocketpair is Nintendo's immediate target, it's easy to see how this case could lead to concerns about monopolizing game mechanics. The potential impact on indie developers would be particularly significant, as they may fear using well-established game mechanics due to the threat of patent infringement.
Interestingly, a 2002 patent application from Konami was cited as prior art, casting doubt on Nintendo's claim. A separate patent published in 2020 by Nintendo was also listed as possible prior art. These developments suggest that Nintendo's case might not hold up under closer scrutiny.
With the USPTO now reviewing the patent, Nintendo has two months to respond and can potentially receive additional prior art references from third parties during this period. As the gaming industry watches this case closely, it's likely that lawyers will scour far and wide for more examples of similar patents, setting a precedent for game mechanics that could have significant implications.
It remains to be seen how this reexamination will unfold but it is clear that Nintendo's patent may not withstand scrutiny from the USPTO.
The patent in question, which would allow summoning fighting NPCs in 1 out of 2 modes, was granted just last September, with the review personally ordered by newly sworn-in USPTO Director John A. Squires. This move has raised eyebrows as Squires is known for siding with patent holders. Moreover, this appears to be the first reexamination of a patent at the USPTO in over a decade.
These factors suggest that Nintendo's lawsuit could backfire and spark widespread blowback. While developer Pocketpair is Nintendo's immediate target, it's easy to see how this case could lead to concerns about monopolizing game mechanics. The potential impact on indie developers would be particularly significant, as they may fear using well-established game mechanics due to the threat of patent infringement.
Interestingly, a 2002 patent application from Konami was cited as prior art, casting doubt on Nintendo's claim. A separate patent published in 2020 by Nintendo was also listed as possible prior art. These developments suggest that Nintendo's case might not hold up under closer scrutiny.
With the USPTO now reviewing the patent, Nintendo has two months to respond and can potentially receive additional prior art references from third parties during this period. As the gaming industry watches this case closely, it's likely that lawyers will scour far and wide for more examples of similar patents, setting a precedent for game mechanics that could have significant implications.
It remains to be seen how this reexamination will unfold but it is clear that Nintendo's patent may not withstand scrutiny from the USPTO.
, now some nitpick at the USPTO is gonna throw their whole case into doubt 
. poor palworld devs are gonna be sleeping at night thinking about this 
. and what's next? them patenting every single game mechanic ever used? it's just a recipe for disaster... indie devs won't stand for it, mark my words 
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This is some juicy stuff! I'm loving all the tea on Nintendo's lawsuit against Palworld. So, if a 2002 Konami patent was already out there, and another one from Nintendo in 2020? That's like them saying "hey, we didn't invent this". 
And now the USPTO is reviewing it, which is just awesome news for indie devs who are tired of being suffocated by corporate giants. Let's see how Nintendo responds, but I'm putting my money on their patent not standing up to scrutiny 
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. I've been following Palworld's development, and the idea of summoning NPCs is actually pretty cool! It's a shame if Nintendo's patent claim throws that in doubt 
. The gaming industry needs more diversity and creativity, not less.
. And honestly, I can see why indie devs would be super concerned about this - they already have enough to deal with without having to worry about some big corp trying to shut them down over patent stuff 
. It's also a bit worrying that lawyers are gonna start scouring the internet for more examples of similar patents... like, how far will they take it? 
This is exactly what indie devs need - more reason to play it safe. I mean, who needs innovation when you can just copy someone else's idea? The fact that a 2002 Konami patent was cited as prior art already raises questions about the validity of Nintendo's claim 
. It's all about who has the deep pockets to fight these battles 
. Wonder how many more patents are waiting in the wings, just waiting to be thrown into the mix...
. The USPTO needs to get their priorities straight and focus on innovation instead of just serving as a lawyer's playground 
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. Monopolizing game mechanics is a big no-no, and this could set a bad precedent for indie devs who just want to make games without getting sued out of existence 
Like, what's next? Will they be asking for royalties just to breathe on someone else's character? 
Nintendo's in trouble, but you know what's gonna thrive in this mess? Indie devs trying to make their own sweet moves 
what a turn of events... 
and whats with all these prior art references from konami and 2020 patents from nintendo? 
what's next for them? are we gonna see some indie devs get sued left and right over their game mechanics? 
... now it seems like the whole gaming industry is watching their back 
.