When Palworld was first revealed back in 2024, though no one could have predicted how much of a hit game the would become, everyone predicted that Nintendo would try to do something to stop that from happening. It wasn't long until an investigation, followed by an official lawsuit from Nintendo against Palworld developer Pocketpair, was announced. While Nintendo was the Goliath to Pocketpair's David in this legal bout, it looks like Pocketpair is set to come out on top, with Nintendo seemingly only capable of getting a measly $30K out of Pocketpair, and no hope of actually getting Palworld off PC and consoles.
According to a report from Gamesfray, the case is finally nearing its close, with both sides having submitted evidence and pleadings, which will be presented in court on October 1, 2026, after which the court will deliver its opinion on November 9, 2026.
With Nintendo's case now limited to the previous versions of Palworld, the ones that don't include the changes Pocketpair made, even a final ruling in Nintendo's favour won't feel like a win. The financial payout is capped at JPY 5 million, which converts to the previously mentioned $30K. That's nothing compared to the $40 million Nintendo has seemingly spent on patent litigation in recent years.
Nintendo might have come in hot, trying to take Pocketpair down through patents, but it's a strategy that has never seemed to be a strong one, as previous reports identified it as a "Hail Mary" tactic. Nintendo might not even walk away with the $30K, according to Gamesfray, if the patents it filed after Palworld's release are ultimately found to have not been infringed.
However you slice it, the paths to victory for Nintendo are seemingly gone, and even if Pocketpair is forced to pay some settlement, it won't recoup Nintendo's litigation costs, and it won't take Palworld offline. Once this case is complete, it'll likely go down as one of Nintendo's biggest public losses ever.
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
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