Nintendo‘s Monster-Catching Patent Faces Unexpected Re-Examination by USPTO
WASHINGTON D.C. – A recently granted U.S.patent awarded to Nintendo, seemingly giving the company exclusive rights to the core mechanic of capturing monsters for battle, is now under re-examination by the United States patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The rare move, personally directed by USPTO Director John A.Squires, casts doubt on the validity of the patent and could considerably impact the gaming industry.
Nintendo secured the patent in September, sparking concerns among developers that similar gameplay features could lead to legal challenges. However, the company already faced a setback when their attempt to register the same patent in Japan was rejected due to a prior claim by an unidentified third-party publisher.
Now, the USPTO is revisiting its own approval. According to reporting from Gamesfray, Director Squires cited existing patents that predate Nintendo’s claim as potential grounds for invalidation. Specifically, a 2002 Konami patent titled ‘Yabe’ details a game character fighting alongside the player – a concept central to Nintendo’s newly patented mechanic. Ironically, a Nintendo patent filed in 2020 may also undermine the current claim.
The decision to re-examine an already approved patent is highly unusual.Typically, the USPTO’s initial rulings are considered final.this re-examination signals a notable challenge to Nintendo’s attempt to monopolize the monster-capturing gameplay element, a feature popularized by the Pokémon franchise but present in numerous other games.
The outcome of this re-examination will be closely watched by the video game industry,as it could redefine the boundaries of patent protection for established game mechanics.
