{"id":1941332,"date":"2026-05-18T11:03:55","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T08:03:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1941332"},"modified":"2026-05-18T11:03:55","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T08:03:55","slug":"nintendo-denied-touchscreen-specific-patent-as-the-legal-battle-against-palworld-developer-pocketpair-continues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1941332","title":{"rendered":"Nintendo denied touchscreen-specific patent as the legal battle against Palworld developer Pocketpair continues"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article \" data-ads=\"true\" data-article-type=\"news\" data-article-group=\"news\" data-paywalled=\"false\" data-premium=\"false\" data-sponsored=\"false\" data-type=\"article\">\n<header class=\"article_header\" data-component=\"article-header\">\n<div class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<nav class=\"nav_breadcrumbs\" data-component=\"nav-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">\n<ul class=\"nav-links\">\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Home<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/news\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      News<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/palworld\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Palworld<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_details\" id=\"main-content\">\n<h1 class=\"title\">Nintendo denied touchscreen-specific patent as the legal battle against Palworld developer Pocketpair continues<\/h1>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Palworld Mobile is a potential target.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_asset\">\n<figure class=\"headline_image_wrapper\">\n<p>        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"headline_image\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/Palworld-Mobile_art.jpg?width=570&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;dpr=3&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Palworld Mobile main art\" loading=\"eager\" data-uri=\"Palworld-Mobile_art.jpg\" data-lightbox width=\"570\" height=\"321\"><figcaption>\n          <span class=\"attribution\">Image credit: <cite>Pocketpair\/Krafton<\/cite><\/span><br \/>\n        <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metadata\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Fran Ruiz avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/fran-j-ruiz-author.png?width=2048&amp;height=2048&amp;fit=bounds&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\"><\/p>\n<p>  <img alt=\"Fran Ruiz avatar\" data-autosize=\"crop_lossy\" data-uri=\"fran-j-ruiz-author.png\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n                  <span class=\"article_type\" data-slug=\"news\"><br \/>\n                    News<br \/>\n                  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"by\">by<\/span> <span class=\"author\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/authors\/fran-ruiz\">Fran Ruiz<\/a><\/span>                    <span class=\"job_title\"><br \/>\n                      Contributor<br \/>\n                    <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n<div class=\"published_at\">\nPublished on <time datetime=\"2026-05-18T11:03:55+00:00\">May 18, 2026<\/time>              <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mypop-header-wrapper\">\n<p><button class=\"mypop-button button wide\" data-state=\"follow\" data-type=\"tag\" data-uuid=\"b6085a2f-e387-4cd9-ae52-4178110ad8a1\" data-name=\"Palworld\" data-follow-text=\"Follow Palworld\" data-unfollow-text=\"Following Palworld\" data-aria-follow-text=\"Follow Palworld\" data-aria-unfollow-text=\"Following Palworld\" data-popup=\"true\" data-force-login=\"true\" aria-label=\"Follow Palworld\" title=\"Follow Palworld\"><br \/>\n  Follow Palworld<br \/>\n<\/button>          <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>That Nintendo has been battling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/palworld\">Palworld<\/a> developer Pocketpair over &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/nintendos-palworld-lawsuit-suffers-another-potential-blow-as-us-takes-rare-step-of-re-examining-previously-granted-pokemon-patent\">Pok\u00e9mon-style monster capture and throwing mechanics<\/a>&#8221; for a while now isn&#8217;t a secret. The results (so far) aren&#8217;t what the Japanese platform holder would have hoped for, however. Over the past few days, Nintendo has been dealt another blow after trying to obtain a touchscreen-specific patent.<\/p>\n<p>Last month, we learned the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/uspto-rejects-nintendos-controversial-summon-character-and-let-it-fight-pokemon-patent-in-non-final-ruling-as-palworld-legal-battle-rumbles-on\">had rejected Nintendo&#8217;s patent for summoning characters and having them fight<\/a> after IP lawyers criticised it in the year leading up to the judgement. More recently &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/gamesfray.com\/taking-aim-at-palworld-mobile-nintendo-trying-to-obtain-touchscreen-specific-patent-on-monster-capturing-and-thus-far-failing\/\">as examined by Games Fray<\/a> &#8211; the entertainment giant made moves to obtain a touchscreen-specific patent, seemingly targeting games such as <a href=\"https:\/\/palworldm.com\/\">Palworld Mobile<\/a> or Roco Kingdom: World.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"video_wrapper youtube\">\n<a aria-label=\"Palworld - Official 2nd Anniversary Teaser Trailer\" class=\"video-facade full-size\" data-platform=\"youtube\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bR9m4RwC1Ic?autoplay=1\" title=\"Click to play video from YouTube\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Cover image for YouTube video\" class=\"video-facade__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/bR9m4RwC1Ic\/hqdefault.jpg\"><span class=\"video-facade__title\">Palworld &#8211; Official 2nd Anniversary Teaser Trailer<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div><figcaption>Palworld &#8211; Official 2nd Anniversary Teaser Trailer<a class=\"video\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bR9m4RwC1Ic\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The new, now-rejected patent is application no. 2026-019762, a divisional of the previous one that focuses on monster-catching mechanics, but this specific application targets touchscreen devices instead. The claim language talks about &#8220;a game program executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus equipped with a touch panel&#8221; before underlining specific Pok\u00e9mon-like mechanics such as using a &#8220;capture item for capturing a field character&#8221; and using those same characters to appear in the field and fight.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The above is simply a general monster-catching rule set. There is nothing technologically innovative about it,&#8221; the Japan Patent Office (JPO) examiner concluded. According to the analysis, there&#8217;s no &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/gamesfray.com\/ip-lingo\/#inventivestep\">inventive step<\/a>&#8221; over the &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/gamesfray.com\/ip-lingo\/#priorart\">prior art<\/a>&#8220;: &#8220;Nintendo already amended the claims in February and can try to amend them again.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The rejection was communicated on 24th April, 2026, and Game Fray believes this will be another uphill battle for Nintendo should it choose to &#8220;persuade the examiner to arrive at a different conclusion&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"preferred-source\" data-component=\"preferred-source\">\nLove Eurogamer.net? Make us a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\">Preferred Source on Google<\/a> and catch more of our coverage in your feeds.  <\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>That Nintendo has been battling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/palworld\">Palworld<\/a> developer Pocketpair over &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/nintendos-palworld-lawsuit-suffers-another-potential-blow-as-us-takes-rare-step-of-re-examining-previously-granted-pokemon-patent\">Pok\u00e9mon-style monster capture and throwing mechanics<\/a>&#8221; for a while now isn&#8217;t a secret. The results (so far) aren&#8217;t what the Japanese platform holder would have hoped for, however. Over the past few days, Nintendo has been dealt another blow after trying to obtain a touchscreen-specific patent.<\/p>\n<p>Last month, we learned the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/uspto-rejects-nintendos-controversial-summon-character-and-let-it-fight-pokemon-patent-in-non-final-ruling-as-palworld-legal-battle-rumbles-on\">had rejected Nintendo&#8217;s patent for summoning characters and having them fight<\/a> after IP lawyers criticised it in the year leading up to the judgement. More recently &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/gamesfray.com\/taking-aim-at-palworld-mobile-nintendo-trying-to-obtain-touchscreen-specific-patent-on-monster-capturing-and-thus-far-failing\/\">as examined by Games Fray<\/a> &#8211; the entertainment giant made moves to obtain a touchscreen-specific patent, seemingly targeting games such as <a href=\"https:\/\/palworldm.com\/\">Palworld Mobile<\/a> or Roco Kingdom: World.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"video_wrapper youtube\">\n<a aria-label=\"Palworld - Official 2nd Anniversary Teaser Trailer\" class=\"video-facade full-size\" data-platform=\"youtube\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bR9m4RwC1Ic?autoplay=1\" title=\"Click to play video from YouTube\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Cover image for YouTube video\" class=\"video-facade__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/bR9m4RwC1Ic\/hqdefault.jpg\"><span class=\"video-facade__title\">Palworld &#8211; Official 2nd Anniversary Teaser Trailer<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div><figcaption>Palworld &#8211; Official 2nd Anniversary Teaser Trailer<a class=\"video\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bR9m4RwC1Ic\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The new, now-rejected patent is application no. 2026-019762, a divisional of the previous one that focuses on monster-catching mechanics, but this specific application targets touchscreen devices instead. The claim language talks about &#8220;a game program executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus equipped with a touch panel&#8221; before underlining specific Pok\u00e9mon-like mechanics such as using a &#8220;capture item for capturing a field character&#8221; and using those same characters to appear in the field and fight.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The above is simply a general monster-catching rule set. There is nothing technologically innovative about it,&#8221; the Japan Patent Office (JPO) examiner concluded. According to the analysis, there&#8217;s no &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/gamesfray.com\/ip-lingo\/#inventivestep\">inventive step<\/a>&#8221; over the &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/gamesfray.com\/ip-lingo\/#priorart\">prior art<\/a>&#8220;: &#8220;Nintendo already amended the claims in February and can try to amend them again.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The rejection was communicated on 24th April, 2026, and Game Fray believes this will be another uphill battle for Nintendo should it choose to &#8220;persuade the examiner to arrive at a different conclusion&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home News Palworld Nintendo denied touchscreen-specific patent as the legal battle against Palworld developer Pocketpair continues Palworld Mobile is a potential target. Image credit: Pocketpair\/Krafton News by Fran Ruiz Contributor Published on May 18, 2026 Follow Palworld That Nintendo has been battling Palworld developer Pocketpair over &#8220;Pok\u00e9mon-style monster capture and throwing mechanics&#8221; for a while [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,253],"class_list":["post-1941332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-eurogamer-net"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1941332","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1941332"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1941332\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1941332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1941332"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1941332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}