Nintendo and The Pokémon Company continue to pursue legal action against Palworld developer Pocketpair over alleged patent infringement tied to creature-catching and mount-switching mechanics. The lawsuit, originally filed in September 2024, remains ongoing despite gameplay adjustments that were introduced to Palworld during 2025.
While the legal battle continues behind the scenes, Nintendo has also been attempting to strengthen its position through additional patent filings related to gameplay systems.
One of those newer filings has now suffered another setback in Japan.
Japanese Patent Office Rejects Touchscreen Capture Patent Again
The patent application, listed under number 2026-019762, focused on a touchscreen-based monster capture system. The filing described mechanics where players could control movement using touchscreen inputs while deploying capture items both during combat and outside battle situations.
After a capture item was used, the system would then determine whether the capture attempt succeeded or failed.
Despite amendments submitted earlier this year, the Japanese Patent Office rejected the application again. Examiners reportedly concluded that the proposed system lacked a sufficient inventive step, arguing that the combination of touchscreen movement, throwable capture mechanics, and success-rate calculations relied too heavily on already existing gameplay concepts.
As a result, the filing failed to meet the standards required for patent approval.
Concerns Around Future Monster Collection Games
The rejected filing gained attention because analysts speculated it could potentially affect future monster-collection titles if it had been approved.
That includes the upcoming mobile version of Palworld connected to Krafton, along with other creature-focused projects currently in development such as Roco Kingdom: World.
At this stage, there is no confirmation that Nintendo intended to directly use this specific filing within the ongoing Palworld lawsuit. However, the timing of the application during active litigation has fueled ongoing discussion across the gaming industry.
Nintendo Still Has Legal Options Available
Even after the rejection, Nintendo still has the ability to continue pursuing the patent through additional amendments or by narrowing the scope of its claims further.
The company has used similar strategies before after earlier patent rejections, eventually obtaining approval for more limited claim sets. Because of that, this latest rejection does not necessarily mean the effort has ended completely.
Legal experts also note that filing related patents during active lawsuits is a common tactic in larger intellectual property disputes, particularly when companies are attempting to reinforce legal positions over time.
For now, though, the latest decision from Japan’s patent office represents another hurdle for Nintendo’s ongoing patent strategy surrounding creature-catching gameplay systems.
Enjoy our updates? You can add GamingHQ as a preferred source in Google Search to see our articles more often.
