Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Pocketpair, the developer of Palworld, claiming that the game violates three specific patents related to gameplay mechanics such as capturing and riding creatures. Pocketpair has confirmed that the patents in question were registered after Palworld's launch, but they are linked to earlier parent patents from 2021. The lawsuit seeks an injunction to prevent further sales of Palworld and demands a total of 10 million yen (approximately $65,000) in damages. Pocketpair asserts it will contest the lawsuit vigorously, emphasizing that the issue revolves around patents, not copyright infringement. The situation raises concerns about the potential chilling effect on creativity among other game developers in the monster-catching genre. The outcome could significantly impact the future of Palworld and similar games.