Genshin Impact Dev May Face Same Patent Issue That Got Palworld Sued by Nintendo

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The new game being developed by HoYoverse, the creators of Genshin Impact, could potentially encounter a similar patent dispute that led to Nintendo suing Palworld. Preliminary looks at Honkai: Nexus Anima seem to hint at potential violations of the same patent at the heart of the ongoing Palworld legal battle.

Honkai: Nexus Anima” is a creature-collection game that HoYoverse initially hinted at in May 2025. This game incorporates the Traveler character from “Genshin Impact” and gacha elements. The official announcement for

Honkai: Nexus Anima Might Infringe on Nintendo’s Creature-Switching Patent

As a dedicated fan, I couldn’t contain my excitement when the beta applications were opened for Honkai: Nexus Anima. The Chinese developer generously shared some gameplay footage that showcased several characters navigating a diverse array of flying and ground creatures. This intriguing footage caught the attention of Florian Mueller, Games Fray’s patent analyst. According to him, the footage suggests that Honkai: Nexus Anima may be infringing on the creature-switching patent at the heart of Nintendo’s ongoing legal battle with Palworld.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’ve got to share some intriguing news about the ongoing legal battle involving Nintendo’s upcoming title, Palworld. In a surprising twist, Nintendo has made some adjustments to its creature-switching patent during the lawsuit proceedings. The new patent, JP7528390, broadens the original claims, which mainly centered around seamless transitions between rideable creatures, to now encompass a system for calling and climbing onto aerial mounts in diverse game scenarios.

Now, I’ve not had a chance to check out Honkai: Nexus Anima yet, but from what I’ve seen, the footage shows transitions between scenes that may not explicitly demonstrate smooth switching between mounts. However, with Nintendo’s revised patent, it seems those specifics might no longer be as crucial anymore. It’ll be interesting to see how this affects both games moving forward!

Many More Games Could Be Infringing on Nintendo’s Broadened Patent

It’s uncertain at this time if Nintendo will take legal action against HoYoverse similar to how they sued Pocketpair regarding their patent. The game Honkai: Nexus Anima might be encroaching on Nintendo’s intellectual property, which highlights the comprehensive nature of the recent modification to their patent. According to Mueller, this broadened patent now poses a significant risk not only to Nintendo but also to the entire gaming industry. In his previous comments to Game Rant, the analyst described the Palworld lawsuit as an instance of “intimidation.

Nintendo expanded their patent in such a manner that it now encompasses a wider scope, potentially posing a larger risk or challenge to the overall video game industry.

In simpler terms, Pocketpair contested that Palworld did not follow Nintendo’s original patent for creature-switching feature as described. This dispute seems to have led Nintendo to widen the definition of their innovation in patent JP7528390. If the Japanese patent isn’t revoked, there’s a chance that more games could violate it. However, if Pocketpair wins in court, the patent might be invalidated or at least its scope narrowed. Nintendo has also applied for a similar patent in the US but hasn’t yet used it to extend the dispute globally.

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2025-08-29 15:04