The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a non-final Office action rejecting all claims in Nintendo's patent number 12,403,397. The patent, granted in July 2025, covers mechanics for summoning sub-characters in video games for battles. This development comes amid Nintendo's lawsuit against Pocketpair, the developer of Palworld.
Nintendo's patent #12,403,397 was granted by the USPTO last July, despite prior patents from companies including Konami, Bandai Namco, and Nintendo itself that covered similar mechanics. The patent broadly claimed infringement if a game allowed players to summon other characters, or sub-characters under direct or indirect control, for battles. As first reported by Games Fray, a USPTO examiner has now rejected all claims in a non-final action, prompted by a re-examination of prior art. Nintendo has two months to respond or appeal, with the option to extend the period. The rejection adds to challenges in Nintendo's legal efforts against Pocketpair. The company is suing for $65,000, alleging patent infringement related to Palworld's creature-capturing mechanics. Some patents cited were amended after Palworld's release. In October 2025, the Japanese Patent Office noted that games like Monster Hunter 4 and ARK featured similar mechanics before Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. This USPTO action represents another setback for Nintendo in its patent disputes over Palworld.
