Secretlab's award-winning gaming chair just received a new set of designs that had my editor and me gleefully messaging this morning. The newly announced Pokémon Collection from Secretlab features Pikachu, Gengar, and Eevee.

I don't consider myself a genwunner, but I do have fond memories of the original 151 Pokémon, so this collection hits close to home.

I've played Pokémon for almost my entire life. I barely have memories from before I discovered Pikachu, Eevee, and Gengar.

The Secretlab Titan Evo is a worthy chair for gaming without any patterns or characters, but seeing the Pokémon collection makes me understand why people chase limited editions and special runs.

Pre-order waves for the chairs opened today. The expected shipping date of the chair depends on which version you choose. All three of the Pokémon chairs cost $684 through Secretlab.

My intro probably seems a bit hyperbolic, but the Secretlab Titan Evo genuinely is one of the best gaming chairs. Our colleagues at PC Gamer even joke about one day finding something to replace Secretlab's entry on that list since it's held the top spot for so long.

"Yes, the best gaming chair, based on hundreds of human hours of testing myriad different chairs, remains one that we've been recommending for years: the Secretlab Titan Evo. And there's good reason for that. It isn't a cheap chair, for sure, but it is more affordable than the best office chairs, and still delivers a great level of comfort and support. And, almost as important, it's incredibly durable, too. Our Titan Evo has been in the office, and well-used for 40 hours a week, all year round, and still looks as good today as the day it arrived."

The Secretlab Titan is comfortable, well-built, and holds up well over time. While it is more expensive than some of its competitors, it has earned a solid reputation for longevity.

The Pokémon Collection versions of the Secretlab Titan Evo have microsuede and velour. They also have the cold-cure foam, pebble seat base that guides you toward the middle of the chair, and softweave plus fabric.

The four-way lumbar support of the Secretlab Titan Evo chairs should help you remain comfortable during long gaming sessions or when working at your desk.

The chairs from the Pokémon collection have some small details that Pokémaniacs will appreciate, such as the Pokédex numbers of Pikachu, Eevee, and Gengar on their respective chairs. Secretlab also snuck in the Pokémon type symbols into the designs.

"Even the subtle line art on the side wings have a lot more depth than what might initially meet the eye. If you look closely, you’ll find that each Pokémon is depicted with a range of poses, expressions and details. We arranged every single one of them by hand to create a one-of-a-kind pattern made specially for fans," said Secretlab.

The Gengar and Eevee chairs also feature other members of their respective evolution lines, including all eight Eevee evolutions. The Pikachu chair lacks Pichu, or either form of Raichu, instead opting for the franchise mascot in different poses. But Raichi always gets done dirty by The Pokémon Company.

I’m still holding out hope for a 'Fat Pikachu' retro edition, but which of the original 151 would you instantly pre-order if Secretlab gave them the Titan treatment? Give me your best (or most obscure) picks in the comments.

I can be rational and accept the limitations of small-scale, limited-edition collaborations between brands. I can accept that some partnerships make most sense in specific markets (even if I'm not a part of those markets), and that the economy of scale means collaborations may not always target the products I'd personally use.

It's good to know, however, that the disappointments of reality can occasionally be subverted. Case in point: Razer remembering that I don't live in China, and therefore was unable to appreciate its special edition gaming headset inspired by one of my top three favorite Pokémon of all time.

The full force of my delusion reassures me that you, dear reader, understand exactly where I'm going with this — the Razer Kraken Kitty V2 Gengar Edition is finally available in global markets, and I've been fortunate enough to already get my hands on it.

Unboxing the Razer Kraken Kitty V2 Gengar Edition

Razer has been going hard with its brand collaborations lately, and some have been pretty awesome. We more-or-less know what to expect, though, so I wasn't particularly surprised by what I found when unboxing this ghost-ified gaming headset.

This is the Razer Kraken Kitty V2, a wired USB, PC gaming headset with a $100 price tag, modest hardware, and an adorable design. It's the perfect base to do some limited-edition designs, and it makes complete sense to use it here.

You'll find the Gengar Edition safely encapsulated in its custom packaging, but the contents of the box are the same — it's the headset, its permanently attached cable, and some paperwork.

Razer rarely sticks to the basics with its limited-edition gear, though, so don't expect this to be a regular Kraken Kitty V2 spray-painted purple. The whole headset gets a tasteful shift in hues, with clashing purples in the plastics and cushions, bright red fabric in the ear cups, some hidden ghosties, and Gengar's iconic head and back spines replacing the standard cat ears.

It's well done, but the Razer Kraken Kitty V2 Gengar Edition also costs $139.99 at Razer.com, a $40 premium that makes it far pricier than what you'd normally pay for this caliber of gaming headset.

Not the headset I'd use, but it's the Pokémon I'd choose

I recently went hands-on with the Razer x Pokémon Collection, and I mostly really enjoyed what felt like a well-rounded and thoughtfully designed set of gaming gear. It also made me hopeful that we'd see some other Razer collaborations hit global markets, like, hm, I don't know, the Kraken Kitty V2 Gengar Edition that was exclusive to China for nearly a year?

I'm ecstatic now that it's here, as Gengar is one of my top three favorite Pokémon of all time (Absol and Umbreon are the other two, if you were curious). It's a good-looking headset, too, but I definitely see it more as a collector's item than anything else.

The Kraken Kitty V2 is a fine wired gaming headset, but it's also showing its age, and these limited editions always cost significantly more. When your product's whole thing is offering a great value, any noticeable price increase is a tough pill to swallow — a 40% price increase just feels ridiculous.

Still, I'm happy this headset is more widely available now, and I think it'll make a lot of hardcore Gengar fans really happy (even if they don't end up using it as their primary gaming headset). It's a fantastically spooky design built onto an already-adorable headset, and there's no such thing as "too many Gengar collectibles."

Now I just need Razer to release a new ultra-premium, wireless Kraken Kitty headset and design an awesome, extremely detailed Shiny Umbreon special edition. You only have to make one, Razer, and no one else has to know.

The Razer Kraken Kitty V2 Gengar Edition is now available for $139.99 at Razer.com. If you'd rather go full Pikachu, the Razer Kraken V4 X Pokémon Edition is also available for $99.99 at Razer.com, which does feel like a more approachable price.

Razer is easily one of the biggest brands in PC gaming, and that renown has opened the doors to a lot of collaborations with other high-profile brands and franchises... including Pokémon, the creature-collecting phenomenon that has captured the hearts of millions (myself included).

Razer's previous Pokémon collaborations have been confined to very specific regions, though, leaving the majority of fans left out of the fun. Finally, Razer has collaborated with Pokémon on a complete collection of PC gaming accessories that more people can buy — but will you actually want to spend your money on this gear?

I've been fortunate enough to go hands on with the latest Razer x Pokémon collection, which features the most iconic critters from the original generation... but I also find myself slightly disappointed in these designs. Does that mean you shouldn't splash your hard-earned cash on these accessories? That's for you to decide.

Unboxing the Razer x Pokémon Collection

When I went hands-on with the Razer x Kuromi Collection, I loved the designs but lamented the use of Razer's entry-level accessories. Fast-forward to the Razer x Minecraft Collection that I sadly wasn't able to see myself, and the company went up a tier to accessories that more gamers would actually want to use.

The new Razer x Pokémon Collection uses those same accessories, but obviously with all-new designs featuring Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander from the original 151 Pokémon of the Kanto region.

The unboxing experience is utterly identical to the standard variants, but you do get the colorful boxes that would look nice in any collection.

Here's what the new collection includes:

• Razer Kraken V4 X Pokémon Edition for $99.99 at Razer (instead of $79.99 for the standard version)
• Razer Cobra Pokémon Edition for $59.99 at Razer (instead of $39.99 for the standard version)
• Razer Gigantus V2 Pokémon Edition (Medium) for $29.99 at Razer (instead of $9.99 for the standard version)
• Razer BlackWidow V4 X for $169.99 at Razer (instead of $129.99 for the standard version)

You're looking at a $100 premium overall compared to buying these Razer accessories without the special Pokémon design, which matches the Minecraft collection. It's the nature of licensing brands like Pokémon, but I'm still not a fan of paying three times as much for the mouse pad and 50% more for the mouse.

Just keep in mind you'll no longer be paying budget prices for these budget accessories — these colorful designs cost extra.

Going hands-on with these colorful accessories

I still wish Razer would have more fun with its premium offerings, but the Pokémon Collection includes some capable, well-liked wired accessories, each with good performance and customizable RGB lighting.

There's not a ton to say about the products themselves — the Kraken V4 X headset, Cobra mouse, and BlackWidow V4 X all get the job done where they're priced, and you're paying extra for that Pokémon skin.

Like other limited edition collections, Razer didn't slap on a cheap paint job and call it a day. Build quality seems great, and there's no risk of extended use destroying the Pokémon designs you paid for.

The Razer Kraken V4 X is easily my favorite of the bunch, with its loud and bold yellow and slightly more understated Pokémon motifs featuring cutout faces of Kanto's three (or four, depending on who you ask) starters.

On the other side, the Razer BlackWidow V4 X is my least favorite. Apart from a "Pokémon" logo on the space bar and Pokéballs on the "Alt" keys, this keyboard blankets itself with those random disembodied Pokémon heads and little else.

Razer could've done better with this collection in general, design-wise.

Overcoming the challenge of distinct design

When my colleague went hands-on with the Razer x Minecraft Collection, he praised that BlackWidow V4 X as being one of the best-looking keyboards he has used. I have to agree — Razer did an excellent job with that design, with a full set of green key caps and fun easter eggs.

By comparison, the Pokémon Collection feels like a step back. It's a side effect of trying to represent four entirely different critters on one accessory, resulting in this repetitive livery that leaves little room for distinct design.

The Kraken V4 X and Cobra accessories are better because they use that repeating design of floating Pokémon faces in moderation, with pure yellow as the foundation — but I still wonder if Razer could've gone even further.

You're already paying 25-200% more just for the Pokémon variants of these PC gaming accessories, so I don't think it's outlandish to expect more, like custom keycaps shaped like our favorite Pokémon or a unique design for each accessory.

Still, this is a fun collection for Pokémon fans, whether you're looking to add to the collection or personalize your gaming setup. If you're interested in any of these products, you can buy them now from $29.99 at Razer in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

Palworld creator and publisher, Pocketpair, has recently released a news update via social media on X regarding "disappointing" changes made to the game, caused by the company's ongoing patent infringement dispute with Nintendo.

Pocketpair announced in its statement:

This isn't the first controversial change Palworld has had to implement as a result of this legal battle. A few months ago, when patch 0.3.11 launched, the game changed the animation of players catching and summoning Pal creatures via Pal Spheres to just a static animation.

However, patch 0.3.11 also introduced several UI bugs and AI behaviours that broke Palworld for a while. It was speculated that this animation was a result of the legal battle with Nintendo, but Pocketpair's most recent statement has apparently confirmed this to be true.

Being able to glide while riding your Pal is akin to using the Fly ability in the Pokémon games, so it's likely that Nintendo is forcing Palworld to remove this iconography as part of the legal dispute as well. Yet the actual flying mechanic in Palworld is seemingly unaffected by the change to gliding on Pals.

Pocketpair has been battling Nintendo for months now, with the latter securing US patents for its legal case. Pocketpair has fought back by challenging Nintendo's Patents using examples from Zelda, ARK: Survival, Tomb Raider, and more.

However, with this imposed gameplay change to Palworld, the popular Xbox Game Pass title has taken a blow to its creative identity as a casualty in this legal battle between Pocketpair and Nintendo.

Will Pocketpair be able to come out of this dispute and beat Nintendo, or will it fold and make more compromises to Palworld in order to stay in business?

Stay tuned for more information as it comes.

During the height of its popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Nintendo’s Pokémon franchise took the world by storm. While Pokémon didn’t invent the monster-catcher genre, it for sure popularized it thanks to its fantastical worlds, gigantic rosters of cute yet cool monsters, and a simple yet addictive gameplay loop of catching monsters and then trading or battling them amongst your friends.

However, PC players have sadly missed out on Pokémon as it remains exclusively available only on Nintendo consoles even to this day. Thankfully, developers, both indie and AAA, have decided to rectify this by crafting their very own Pokémon-like titles and making them available on PC. Some of these games are a refined take on Nintendo’s classic while others have aimed to reinvent the monster genre by blending it with different gameplay styles.

Since there are tons of Pokémon-like PC titles to choose from, we have rounded 8 of the best ones we can find (in no particular order) that we highly recommend to anyone looking to scratch that monster-catcher itch on PC.

Palworld

Palworld is an open-world survival Pokémon-like game that took everyone by surprise in 2024 and continues to be popular today as Palworld has hit 200,000 concurrent players on Steam. In this game, you are stranded on a mysterious island populated by creatures known as ‘Pals.’ In order to survive, you must tame the Pals and use their abilities to help you craft a base of operations, forage the land for food and water, and build weapons of mass destruction to fend off predator Pals and evil poachers looking to murder your animal companions.

This game may look like an over-the-top parody of Pokémon (especially with the imagery of seeing cute animals wielding machine guns and rocket launchers,) but it surprisingly has a ton of depth to it. Palworld has a massive world filled with tons of secrets to uncover; you can catch a wide variety of intriguing creatures with useful powers, you can outfit your critters with ridiculously huge guns, and you can explore the world and shoot up poachers alongside your friends in online multiplayer.

On top of all that, Palworld is constantly being updated with new regions to visit, new Pals to capture, and more.

Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin

Capcom’s popular Monster Hunter is normally a franchise all about hunting monsters rather than catching and befriending them. However, the Monster Hunter series decided to take a shot at the monster-catcher genre in 2016 when it debuted a spin-off series called Monster Hunter Stories.

In these games, you play as a Rider, a warrior capable of battling the terrifying Wyverns and beasts of the Monster Hunter franchise and taming them using the power of an ancient device called the Kinship Stone. Together with your newly dubbed ‘Monstie’ companions, you will ride on to discover vast lands filled with monsters to tame and baddies to protect nature from.

The Monster Hunter Stories games are incredibly fun games that manage to expertly blend the exploration and turn-based combat of the Pokémon franchise with the action-hunting mechanics of the Monster Hunter franchise. On top of that, these games feature large rosters of the Monster Hunter franchise’s iconic monsters for players to tame and ride into battle with.

Both Monster Hunter Stories titles are equally fun in their own unique ways. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin has a bigger roster of Monsties and a more streamlined combat system, whereas the first Monster Hunter Stories has a more creative storyline and broader character-build options for your Monsties.

If you want more detailed examinations of what makes the Monster Hunter Stories series great, check out our glowing Monster Hunter Stories review and our Monster Hunter Series 2: Wings of Ruin review.

Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD

Long before Nintendo’s Pokémon franchise pushed the monster-catcher genre into the mainstream, it was an underground niche genre dominated by Atlus’ Shin Megami Tensei series. In stark contrast to the child-friendly, bright atmosphere of Pokémon, the Shin Megami Tensei games were dark, brutally challenging, and at times disturbing.

Out of all these games, the most famous entry is Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne, which was originally released on the PlayStation 2 in 2003 but has been ported to PC as Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD in 2021.

In this game, you play as the Demi-fiend, a young high-school student who's been turned into a demon after witnessing the end of the world. Trapped in a new world filled with blood-thirsty demons, the Demi-fiend must use his newfound powers to off monsters looking to devour what remains of his soul and embark on a journey to remake the world in his image.

Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne is often regarded as one of the darkest games in the monster-catcher genre, and for good reason. Instead of catching and befriending monsters like in Pokémon, you recruit monsters by bullying them, bribing them, or sacrificing them in demonic rituals in order to create more powerful monsters.

Additionally, Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne is considered one of the hardest turn-based JRPGs ever created. If your party of demons isn’t fully prepared to exploit enemy weaknesses and have their own weaknesses protected, then you will get curb-stomped in almost every battle you come across. So, if you like dark storylines, overcoming almost impossible odds, and recruiting over 200 demons to your party, then Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne is for you.

Coromon

Coromon is an indie turn-based JRPG set in the fantasy world of Velua. You play as a newly appointed Battle Researcher tasked by Lux Solis research organization to tame and study unique creatures called Coromon. Unfortunately, your first day on the job quickly spirals out of control when an evil, mysterious force appears to cause havoc and hurt Coromon, and it is up to you to stop them.

Coromon features beautiful pixel-art graphics, over 100 Coromon to catch (each with several variants), a large world with rich and diverse biomes to explore, in-depth character customization options for both your avatar and your Coromon, epic boss fights, and online multiplayer where you can pit your team of Coromon against other Battle Researchers.

On top of that, Coromon features a unique take on Pokémon’s turn-based combat system where you must manage your Coromon’s stamina whenever they perform an action to keep them from tiring out. Additionally, you must come up with smart tactical plays to exploit the enemy’s elemental weaknesses and drain their stamina so they’ll be left vulnerable to attack.

Nexomon: Extinction

Nexomon: Extinction is another indie turn-based JRPG that has a traditional yet refined take on the monster-catcher formula. Set in a world where humans live alongside monsters called Nexomon, you play as a member of the Tamer’s Guild tasked with defending the world from the threat of destructive, godlike beings known as Nexomon Tyrants.

Nexo: Extinction features a bleak yet beautiful world rich with lore and secrets, over 300 Nexomon to catch, and an engrossing battle system that emphasizes resource management and move-priority over simply attacking an enemy’s elemental weakness.

If you wish to know more, check our review for the Xbox version of Nexomon: Extinction.

Cassette Beasts

Cassette Beasts is a turn-based open-world RPG indie title where you are stranded on a mysterious island filled with monsters and other lost souls like you. To help you survive this adventure, you are given a magical cassette tape player that records a monster and allows you to transform into the very same monsters you are fighting against.

Additionally, you can team with other human companions who have cassette tapes like you and fuse together during battle to create an entirely new fusion form to take on the game’s challenging boss fights.

Cassette Beasts is a very enjoyable title with a wild storyline filled with crazy twists, a loveable cast of characters with intriguing backstories (whom you can romance should you desire), lots of quests to complete, many ways to customize your character’s looks, and the abilities of your monster forms, and over a 100 monsters to record, online co-op and PvP, and more.

Monster Sanctuary

Monster Sanctuary is a fascinating take on monster-catcher games as it attempts to combine turn-based combat with Metroidvania, side-scrolling exploration. You play as a Monster Keeper, a guardian tasked with defending the Monster Sanctuary from evildoers looking to threaten the peace between monsters and mankind.

This game features a complex world jam-packed with secret treasure to discover and brain-teasing environmental puzzles to solve, over 100 monsters with multi-faceted abilities to help you overcome these aforementioned puzzles, an in-depth 3v3 turn-based combat system where your team monsters must synergize their powers to defeat enemies, online PvP multiplayer, and more.

Gotta catch them all on PC

Now you know all of the best PC games in the monster-catcher genre that we highly recommend to fans of Pokémon-like titles. Be sure to check back in every once in a while, as we will update this list with any upcoming PC titles that manage to excel in the monster-catcher genre upon their release date.

What you need to know

• Nintendo and it's partner, The Pokémon Company, have submitted a lawsuit in Japan accusing Pocketpair (creators of Palworld) of patent infringement.
  
• Legal experts have been speculating on the case and what this could actually mean for the gaming industry in and outside of Japan.
  
• Pocketpair has also announced a delay to the PS5 version of Palworld in Japan.

Last week, news broke that Nintendo had initiated legal action against Pocketpair, the creators of Palworld, over alleged patent infringement. While initial reactions speculated that the case centered on similarities between Palworld's 'Pals' and Pokémon, deeper discussion around patent law suggests the issue may be more complex. Although the specific patent Nintendo claims were infringed upon remains unknown, concerns are already being raised about the potential impact this case could have on the gaming industry if Nintendo prevails.

Nintendo has a long history of aggressive litigation, often targeting even seemingly minor competitors to protect its intellectual property. This case could have broader implications beyond fans of creature-collecting games, potentially setting a precedent that may ripple across the industry. Experts in patent law and gaming have begun weighing in, shedding light on what could be a significant and lengthy legal battle.

What does this lawsuit mean for Palworld?

When Palworld first gained popularity, many noticed striking similarities between its characters and those from Pokémon. Some even speculated that Palworld might have copied Pokémon models and made minor alterations. However, none of these claims were ever proven, and it’s safe to say that if Nintendo had found any concrete evidence of copyright infringement, they would have already taken action. Mere visual similarities aren’t enough for a lawsuit, likely why Nintendo hasn’t pursued a copyright claim. Instead, they’ve turned to patents—arguing that Palworld may be using game mechanics, systems, or features from Pokémon that Nintendo has legally protected.

While the exact patent being contested is still unknown, experts have started investigating Nintendo’s recent patent filings to make educated guesses. For instance, Stephen Totilo highlighted a registered patent for the mechanic of 'throwing an item to catch a monster while out in the field.' In Pokémon, players throw Pokéballs to catch creatures, while in Palworld, players use 'Pal Spheres' for a similar function. This could potentially be a sticking point in the case. Totilo also pointed out that while this patent was granted and deemed valid in Japan in 2023, its status in the U.S. remains unclear.  

In the above tweet from Palworld's Japanese account, it seems the release of the game onto PS5 has been delayed. "The release date in Japan has not yet been decided. We apologize to everyone in Japan who was looking forward to it, but all of our staff will do our best to deliver it to PS5 users as soon as possible, so we hope you will wait for a little longer." Could this already be an effect of the lawsuit?

Experts weigh in on lawsuit effects outside of Japan

Although the lawsuit was initiated in Japan, its potential impact extends far beyond. This legal battle could set a dangerous precedent for using overly broad patents to suppress competition. While game mechanics themselves cannot be copyrighted, specific implementations of those mechanics can be patented, which can stifle innovation. A prime example is Warner Bros.' patent on the Nemesis system from Shadow of Mordor, a mechanic where enemies remember past encounters, enriching future confrontations. Despite its brilliance, no other game can legally use it because of Warner Bros.' patent. Unless they create another title using the Nemesis system—which hasn’t happened since Shadow of War—we won’t see similar mechanics until the patent expires in 2035.

Another case is Bandai Namco’s patent on loading screen mini-games, featured in Tekken 5 and Ridge Racer. That patent expires in 2025, but by then, technological advances have largely eliminated loading screens, rendering the concept almost obsolete by the time it became available for use.

“This could be just the first pounding of Nintendo’s giant global IP protection hammer,” says Lisa Phillips, a lawyer at Fisch Sigler LLP in Washington DC. “Japanese patent right ends at Japan’s borders, so it would not be surprising to see Nintendo bring cases in additional jurisdictions like the US or EU.”

I reached out to Florian Mueller, author of IPFray for patent commentary, and GamesFray; well known for his coverage on the Activision Blizzard acquisition case, for his take on how this could look outside of Japanese court should Nintendo win. Mueller went into detail with me about how patents only protect inventions in the country where they are registered. 

So, if Nintendo wants to stop Pocketpair from selling Palworld outside Japan, they would need to hold patents in places like the U.S. or Europe. However, these regions have stricter rules, making it easier to reject patents that don't involve something technically complex. In this case, "Nintendo does not appear to have patents outside of Japan that would cover what the patent family rumored to be at issue in the Japanese lawsuit covers."

Even if Nintendo’s lawsuit never reaches American or European courts, its effects could still ripple across the global gaming industry due to the nature of game distribution. Mueller detailed how, under certain circumstances, enforcing a patent in one country could indirectly affect other countries. For instance, if Nintendo blocked Pocketpair from exporting Palworld from Japan, Pocketpair might have to move its development out of Japan to avoid violating Nintendo’s patents. Whether they can do this depends on Japanese business regulations, not just patent law.

A recent legal dispute which in parts mirrors this issue, is between Microsoft and the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. This ultimately ended in a settlement whereby Microsoft relinquished cloud streaming rights for Activision Blizzard games in the UK to secure approval for the deal. Although this decision was made in one region, its impact has been felt globally—especially on Xbox Cloud Gaming. Many users remain confused about why titles like Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4 appear on Xbox Game Pass but are absent from the cloud gaming library. A settlement Mueller says "is theoretically also possible between Nintendo and Pocketpair. In a scenario in which Nintendo would have major leverage, but the parties reach some kind of agreement that both believe is better than continuing to litigate, the agreement could also include provisions for what Pocketpair will do in other countries."

Regional rulings can have far-reaching consequences, particularly in an industry that relies on worldwide distribution platforms. If Nintendo were to succeed in its patent infringement case against Pocketpair, the repercussions could extend well beyond Japan.

Nintendo's litigation history 

Nintendo has a well-documented history of successfully winning its cases, even overturning adverse rulings.  One of the most notable examples was a case involving technology used in the 3DS. Initially, Nintendo was found guilty of infringing on a patent related to creating 3D images without the need for glasses, a technology central to the 3DS’s design. In 2014, this decision was overturned, reducing the damages Nintendo was required to pay. The case was eventually settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.

Speaking to GamesRadar, analyst Serkan Toto claims to not "remember a single lawsuit that Nintendo itself initiated in Japan that they lost." Toto recalls the Nintendo vs. Colopl case, a (Japanese mobile gaming company) where Nintendo raised 6 counts of patent infringement for the use of a joystick-like control scheme, and won. 

Specific patents, such as those related to joystick technology and others regarding game mechanics like visibility behind objects, have gone in Nintendo's favor. While these patents might seem broad and industry-standard, Nintendo has still secured legal victories or settlements.

Response from Pocketpair and Palworld fans

Pocketpair has responded to the lawsuit by regret over the time and resources they would need to divert from game development. They have emphasized their commitment to their community and their goal of ensuring that indie developers are not discouraged from pursuing creative ideas. This positions Pocketpair as a David against Nintendo’s Goliath, and everybody loves an underdog tale. 

Fans have questioned the timing of the lawsuit. Why now, and not when Palworld initially launched into Early Access and became the biggest third-party launch ever on Xbox Game Pass? Why not when Palworld trailers were revealed back in 2021?

It may not be a coincidence that Pocketpair has recently entered a joint venture with Sony Music Entertainment and Aniplex. This partnership aims to expand the Palworld IP beyond gaming into anime, music, and possibly more. This collaboration could pose a more significant threat to Nintendo in the future, as Palworld is gaining a foothold in areas that could compete with Pokémon’s dominance. Could this have been the catalyst for Nintendo's action? 

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