Nintendo’s legal campaign to shut down Palworld and its developer Pocketpair may not achieve the outcome the Kyoto‑based company had envisioned, despite its firm belief that the game plagiarised Pokémon.
A recent report indicates that the decisive moment for both parties is set to unfold in a Japanese court, and contrary to initial expectations, Pocketpair is likely to come out on top.
While Nintendo is expected to secure a victory, it would probably be a modest one, limited to a token monetary settlement.
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According to a report from Gamesfray, a specialist site covering video‑game patents and legal matters, Nintendo and Pocketpair have both filed their formal documents in the lawsuit alleging plagiarism and copyright infringement over the game Palworld.
The next phase of the litigation will involve the submission of evidence on October 1, followed by the court’s first opinion on November 9.
While Nintendo is expected to prevail, a critical factor works against the Japanese giant: Pocketpair has already implemented substantial changes to Palworld during the lawsuit, meaning Nintendo’s claims only apply to earlier versions of the game. Notably, the full 1.0 release is slated for July 10.
Even if the lawsuit ultimately favors Nintendo, the financial compensation for damages is likely to be modest.
Legal experts predict that should the court side with Nintendo in its lawsuit against Palworld, the company could be awarded a modest $30,000 in damages—an amount unlikely to deter the release of the game’s final version.
“Given the narrow scope of this case, we see no viable path to a victory for Nintendo over any current or recent iteration of Palworld. No judicial order will have a tangible real-world impact,” the specialists added.
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News Source: Levelup
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