The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is reexamining Nintendo's controversial '397 patent' for summoning mechanics in Pokémon. This decision follows pushback from IP lawyers who claim the patent is too broad and overlaps with features in other games like Digimon. USPTO director John A. Squires noted significant questions about the patent's validity, referencing earlier patents from Konami and Nintendo. This could impact Nintendo's legal battle with Pocketpair over Palworld, raising concerns about the future of gaming patents.
Published on: 11/4/2025
View the full content at Nintendo's Pokémon Patent Under Fire