Nintendo and its partner The Pokémon Company have filed a lawsuit against the maker of the hit survival adventure game "Palworld" over alleged patent infringement.
"Palworld" quickly earned the nickname "Pokémon with guns" when its first trailer was unveiled in 2021.
Just days after the game's release in January this year, The Pokémon Company said it would investigate allegations of imitation, the BBC reports.
The developer of "Palworld," Pocketpair Inc, said the game has gone through legal checks.
"Palworld" "infringes multiple patent rights," Nintendo and The Pokémon Company said in statements posted on their websites.
"This lawsuit seeks an injunction against infringement and damages."
"Palworld" became a big hit, with more than 25 million players registered within a month of its release.
Like the popular “Pokémon” franchise, it also focuses on the collection of strange creatures with different powers.
Pocketpair's website describes the game as seamlessly integrating "elements of combat, monster capture, training, and base building."
Players, known as "pal-tamers," travel around a large map, battling human enemies and creatures known as "pals" that can be captured and recruited.
The monsters can fight alongside the player in battles or work in a base to craft materials and items for use in the field.
In January, The Pokémon Company said it planned to investigate claims that "Palworld" had copied its games after fans pointed out similarities.
At the time, The Pokémon Company said it would take "appropriate action" if it found that its copyrights had been infringed. | BGNES
