USPTO rejects Nintendo's sub-character summoning patent in Palworld dispute
Summary
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has rejected Nintendo's patent covering in-game character summoning mechanics
Rejection is non-final - Nintendo has 2 months to respond, with option to appeal
This is the second patent setback for Nintendo, following Japan Patent Office's denial of its capture-and-release mechanic in October 2025
The ruling adds pressure to Nintendo's ongoing lawsuit against Pocketpair over Palworld
"We continue to dispute these claims and assert the invalidity of the patents in question"
01
Patent rejection details - prior art cited as grounds
USPTO initially approved the summoning patent in September 2025, then announced a re-examination in November 2025
Rejection was based on combinations of two or three prior art references in the form of published US patent applications
Nintendo originally submitted the summoning patent in March 2023
Rejection is non-final - Nintendo has 2 months to respond and can extend timeline via appeal
02
Nintendo vs Pocketpair - lawsuit context
Nintendo and The Pokemon Company filed suit against Pocketpair in September 2024 at the Tokyo District Court
Nintendo cited infringement of multiple patent rights including monster capture/release mechanics and mounts
Pocketpair stated it was never notified which specific patents it allegedly infringed
In October 2025, Japan Patent Office also denied Nintendo's capture-and-release patent application
03
Pocketpair's operational response under litigation pressure
Pocketpair patched Palworld's gliding mechanic in May 2025 under legal pressure
Removed the ability to summon Pals by throwing Pal Spheres in November 2024
"We have had to make certain compromises in order to avoid disruptions to the development and distribution of Palworld"
Despite ongoing litigation, Pocketpair confirmed Palworld will exit early access in 2026
04
What to watch - Nintendo's next move on IP enforcement
Nintendo must respond to the USPTO rejection within 2 months or file an appeal to keep the patent alive
With two patent offices now pushing back, Nintendo's IP enforcement strategy in the Palworld case faces growing legal headwinds
The outcome will set a precedent for how broadly game mechanics can be patented and enforced industry-wide
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