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The gaming world collectively choked on its coffee when Nintendo secured a patent so broad it could theoretically sue half the industry for making games with character summoning mechanics. Patent No. 12,403,397—sounds like a robot's Social Security number—describes a system where players move a main character, summon a helper, and trigger battles based on where the sidekick lands. If the summoned creature appears on an enemy? Manual combat. If not? The helper waddles toward a player-designated direction until it bumps into trouble, triggering auto-battles. This Frankenstein creation arrived mid-2025 while Nintendo was already suing Palworld developer Pocketpair in Japan over creature-capture patents, making gamers wonder if the Mario maker was building a legal Death Star.
The Patent That Could Swallow the Industry Whole
Florian Mueller, a patent analyst at Games Fray, didn't mince words: "Not merely annoying but actually shocking." Why the dramatic language? Because Nintendo's IP describes a highly specific sequence: player movement → summoning → location-based battle branching → secondary directional input → automatic movement → combat initiation. While it requires ALL these steps like some bureaucratic Rube Goldberg machine, the sheer scope threatens any game letting players call backup buddies during fights. Mueller bluntly called it a "fundamental threat to creativity," leaving indie devs sweating over their summoning mechanics and triple-A studios nervously reviewing decade-old code.
Palworld's Double Legal Nightmare
While Patent 12,403,397 isn't directly tied to the Palworld lawsuit, Nintendo's legal blitzkrieg expanded dramatically:
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🇯🇵 September 2024: The Pokémon Company & Nintendo sue Pocketpair in Japan over creature-capture and ride-switching patents
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🇺🇸 September 2025: Nintendo secures U.S. version of Palworld's contested creature-switching patent (No. 12,409,387)
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⚔️ Pocketpair's two-pronged defense: Challenging patent validity WHILE arguing Palworld doesn't infringe
People Also Ask: Burning Questions
- Could Nintendo sue Western games using summon mechanics?
Absolutely. With the U.S. patent secured, titles featuring character summons could face litigation if they match Nintendo's 6-step sequence.
- Why is this patent controversial despite its specificity?
It weaponizes common gaming tropes—like combining summoning and auto-battling—that many developers consider industry standards.
- How has Palworld responded?
Pocketpair mounted an aggressive defense in early 2025, calling Nintendo's patents invalid while insisting their monster designs are legally distinct.
The Creativity Chill Effect
Industry analysts fear Nintendo's move could:
| Risk Level | Consequence |
|---|---|
| 🔴 High | Studios avoiding summon mechanics entirely |
| 🟠 Medium | Increased development costs for legal vetting |
| 🟡 Low | Copycat patents from other publishers |
As 2025 unfolds, Pocketpair finds itself in a bizarre standoff—fighting Japanese litigation while watching Nintendo patent similar concepts globally. Mueller summarized the mood: "The sole fact that Nintendo secured this patent is bad news for everyone." With Mario's creators now patenting gameplay loops like mad scientists, one wonders... will we eventually need permission slips to make games featuring jumping on mushrooms? 😂
If you were a game developer tomorrow, would you risk including summon mechanics or redesign your entire combat system to avoid Nintendo's legal labyrinth?