Nintendo’s Character-Summoning Patent Has Been Rejected

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Okay, so this is kinda big news for us gamers. Nintendo’s patent for how they let you summon characters in their games – think Pokemon or Zelda – just got rejected by the U.S. Patent Office. Honestly, a lot of people were surprised they even got the patent in the first place, because it seemed pretty broad. Nintendo is known for protecting its stuff with lawsuits, but this one felt a little…much. Now, it looks like their legal fight against games that might copy this idea just got a lot harder. It’s not a final decision yet, but it’s a major setback for them.

In September 2025, Nintendo received a patent for a system that allows characters to be called into battle. Some viewed this as a way to protect Nintendo’s intellectual property while they were involved in a legal dispute with the game Palworld. Although the patent detailed a process very similar to Pokemon gameplay, legal experts were initially surprised it was approved, suggesting it could have wider consequences for the gaming industry. At the time, it seemed like a significant win for Nintendo, but the situation has changed considerably in the past year.

U.S. Patent Office Issues Non-Final Rejection of Nintendo’s Character-Summoning Patent

As a big Nintendo fan, I was pretty surprised to see news that the USPTO has rejected all 26 claims from the patent they got last September! Apparently, this comes after the USPTO Director ordered a closer look at the patent back in November. While it’s not final yet – Nintendo has two months to appeal and fight this – if they don’t, the patent could be completely revoked. What’s really interesting is that it seems the USPTO is questioning whether Nintendo should have been able to patent this mechanic in the first place, suggesting it might not be as unique to Pokemon as they thought. Legal experts seemed to be anticipating something like this, honestly.

Even though the legal battle isn’t finished, this is a disappointing development for Nintendo, as it will likely prolong the process. This isn’t the first challenge the company has faced recently. Back in October 2025, Japan’s patent office denied Nintendo’s patent for a monster-capture system, noting that games like Monster Hunter 4 and ARK: Survival Evolved already used similar features before Nintendo filed its application in December 2021. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office made a similar decision, pointing to earlier patents that described summoning characters to fight with the player. Nintendo could argue that no other developer has actually combined these patented ideas into a complete game, but it’s uncertain whether they’ll pursue that line of defense, or if it would be successful.

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This new development complicates Nintendo’s existing legal fight against Palworld and other games accused of copying its style. While this particular patent wasn’t involved in the Palworld case, it’s clear Nintendo is trying to prevent games with similar gameplay. Despite these legal efforts, the competition hasn’t slowed down. Palworld remains popular, and the recently announced Pickmon appears to be another game inspired by Pokémon and Palworld, making the creature-collecting and battling genre even more competitive.

It’s still uncertain how Nintendo’s patent actions will impact the ongoing lawsuit with Palworld. Even if Nintendo succeeds with this particular patent, it doesn’t guarantee a win in the broader case, and resolving the legal issues will likely take a while. Fortunately, fans of both Palworld and Pokémon have something to anticipate: Palworld is nearing its full 1.0 release, and Pokémon has several new games on the way, despite the legal battle.

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2026-04-01 18:05