Overview of the Patents
Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have obtained two patents in the United States.
- Patent No. 12403397 (approved September 2)
A system for “summoning characters to battle”
- Patent No. 12409387 (approved September 9)
Technology related to “smooth switching between vehicles”
The former closely resembles the “Let’s Go” system from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, which specifies a mechanism where a summoned character engages in manual combat upon encountering an enemy, or otherwise shifts into automated combat. The latter concerns technology that enables seamless switching among multiple modes of transportation—air, land, and water.
Technical Significance and Game Design
The “summoning and battle” mechanism supplements traditional turn-based combat and enables game design that naturally connects field exploration with battles. This is not merely an improvement in operability but an essential element that deepens player immersion.
Meanwhile, the “vehicle switching” technology is key to enhancing freedom of movement in increasingly open-world games. It is highly likely to be implemented in upcoming titles such as Pokémon LEGENDS Z-A.
Relation to Lawsuits
Some may associate this with the recent lawsuit involving Palworld, but the Japanese-registered Patent No. 7482585 is not part of that case. The actual points of contention in the lawsuit involve other patents, such as those covering “character capture using balls.”
Therefore, these newly granted U.S. patents cannot necessarily be seen as a direct strategy against Palworld. Rather, it is more natural to interpret them as a routine measure by Nintendo and Pokémon to strengthen rights for future titles.
Impact on the Gaming Industry as a Whole
What deserves attention, however, as analyst Florian Mueller points out, is that the fundamental mechanic of “summoning and making characters fight” has been successfully patented. This could have implications for other RPGs and monster-raising titles, forcing developers to carefully examine whether their own systems carry risks of infringement.
The existence of such patent rights could potentially suppress innovation in the gaming industry—or conversely, function as pressure that encourages greater originality.
Future Outlook
In Pokémon LEGENDS Z-A, scheduled for release in October, it is highly likely that more diverse means of transportation and an evolved version of the “Let’s Go” system will be introduced. These patents can be interpreted as laying the groundwork for that.
It is reasonable to view Nintendo and Pokémon as not merely engaging in legal defense strategies, but actively seeking to enhance the depth of game experiences by securing rights to their technologies.
Summary
These patents carry significance in both the legal and game design realms.
- More than just a legal precaution, they are elements directly linked to enhancing experiences in new titles.
- The fundamental “summon × battle” mechanic patent could ripple across the industry.
- They represent a potential turning point in the design of future open-world RPGs.