Nintendo Secures Broad Patent on Sub-Character Summoning in Video Games

Nintendo has secured a new US patent that could have major implications for the gaming industry, especially for titles featuring mechanics similar to Pokémon.

The patent, officially identified as US Patent No.

12,403,39, covers the summoning of sub-characters—such as creatures or partners that fight on a player’s behalf—a game mechanic found in many popular games.

This legal development arrives amidst ongoing disputes between Nintendo and Pocketpair, the developer behind the hit indie title Palworld. According to analysis from Games Fray, the scope of the patent goes well beyond targeting a single title.

Nintendo’s newly granted patent describes scenarios where a player can summon a secondary character – not the main controllable protagonist, but rather a ‘sub character’ like a Pokémon or similar creature – to participate in battles.

The patent documentation clarifies that these sub-characters can be controlled via player-issued commands or can act independently by automatically engaging nearby enemies if present. Breaking down the patent’s requirements, Games Fray outlines that any game meeting the following conditions may fall under its jurisdiction: 1.

The game is hosted on a computing device (such as a PC or console) and stored on a drive or comparable storage medium. 2.

Players can move a character within a virtual space. 3.

The game allows the player to summon a 'sub character'—an entity distinct from the main player character, potentially classed as a creature or helper available to the protagonist. 4.

The 'sub character' can be summoned where another character is present for immediate combat, or summoned in a location without an immediate adversary, then dispatched to battle automatically. This patent is broad, as its description applies to numerous mainstream titles that utilize partner or companion mechanics, including FromSoftware's Elden Ring and countless others beyond the famed Pokémon series. Nintendo’s aggressive defense of its intellectual property is nothing new, but the breadth of this patent highlights the company’s determination to protect its gameplay innovations.

While it is uncertain if or how Nintendo will deploy this patent in its ongoing legal actions against Pocketpair or other developers, industry observers note that such a sweeping patent could potentially impact a significant portion of modern gaming, depending on its enforcement. A spokesperson for Games Fray emphasized the complexity and potential reach of the new patent, stating, "This is a notably wide-spanning mechanic, and several well-known games already use similar systems.

It may prompt developers to re-evaluate certain gameplay elements or seek alternative designs." Whether Nintendo will choose to leverage this newly acquired patent in its legal strategy against Palworld or any other titles remains uncertain.

However, with such patents in hand, Nintendo further affirms its position as a guardian of unique gameplay experiences across platforms like Nintendo Switch, the Nintendo eShop, and beyond.

The industry at large will be watching closely for any future legal developments arising from this far-reaching patent.

Pokémon Nintendo Elden Ring US Xbox Series X|S Palworld patent developers Pocketpair Games Fray