According to Wccftech, US Patent Office director John A. Squires has personally initiated a re-examination of Nintendo’s patent number 12,403,397, which covers the concept of summoning characters and making them battle. This rare move by the USPTO director comes amid Nintendo’s ongoing legal battle against Pocketpair over alleged patent infringement in Palworld. IP and patent lawyer Kirk Sigmon previously stated this patent “should not have happened, full stop.” Games Fray reports that such director-initiated re-examinations are uncommon, and this proceeding could potentially result in the patent being revoked entirely. The public attention surrounding the Nintendo vs. Pocketpair case may have pushed this patent review up the priority docket.
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What This Really Means
Here’s the thing – when the head of the patent office personally steps in to question a patent, that’s basically the government equivalent of raising both eyebrows. This isn’t some routine paperwork shuffle. Director Squires saw something that made him say “wait a minute, let’s take another look at this.”
And that “something” is probably the sheer breadth of what Nintendo managed to patent. We’re talking about summoning characters and making them fight – concepts that have been around in gaming for decades. Think about it – how many games involve summoning helpers or companions? From Pokémon to Final Square Enix titles to basically every RPG ever made?
Nintendo’s Growing Headache
This re-examination couldn’t come at a worse time for Nintendo. They’re already swinging for the fences with what Games Fray called a “hail mary” legal strategy against Pocketpair. Now the very foundation of their case is being questioned by the same office that granted the patent in the first place.
But here’s what’s really interesting – if this patent gets narrowed down or outright canceled, it sets a precedent. Suddenly, Nintendo’s entire patent portfolio around game mechanics looks a lot shakier. Other developers who’ve been steering clear of certain mechanics for fear of legal action might start testing the waters.
What’s Next for Palworld
For Pocketpair, this is potentially huge. They’ve been operating under this legal cloud since Palworld exploded in popularity. Now they’ve got the US government essentially double-checking Nintendo’s homework. That’s a pretty powerful ally, even if it’s an indirect one.
Look, patent cases like this can drag on for years. But when the patent office starts asking questions, the dynamics change completely. Nintendo now has to defend their patent not just against Pocketpair, but against their own government’s scrutiny. That’s two fronts instead of one.
So where does this leave us? Basically, Nintendo’s playing defense on a field they thought they owned. And Pocketpair? They just got handed what might be the most valuable legal document they’ll see in this entire case. The game isn’t over, but the rules just changed.
