Palworld dev Pocketpair is currently locked in a legal battle with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company over alleged patent infringement. Now, as detailed by Games Fray (thanks, VGC), we have a vague idea of how Pocketpair might be looking to present its defence.
In short, Pocketpair argues that Nintendo's patents-in-suit shouldn't have been granted in the first place, referencing numerous games that it says utilised key mechanics long before Nintendo claimed to have invented them. The company points to its previous title, Craftopia, first and foremost, but has also referenced a number of well-known games.
In relation to a mechanic in which players release a monster or capture item (like a ball) and fire in a direction by releasing a button, Pocketpair references Pikmin 3 Deluxe, Titanfall 2, and Rune Factory 5 as titles that make full use of this. In addition, Pikmin 3 Deluxe, Far Cry 5, and Tomb Raider are all said to allow for multiple types of throwable objects.
Meanwhile, Octopath Traveler, Monster Super League, Final Fantasy XIV, and Pocket Souls (a Dark Souls 3 mod) all demonstrate mechanics in which players pick a target in the field and view an indication of how likely a capture operation may succeed.
This demonstrates that not only can Pocketpair reference unofficial mods as part of its defence, but even Nintendo's own previous titles. Needless to say, the company isn't prepared to go down without a fight, and who knows, it may even succeed where others have often failed against Nintendo.
Only time will tell, but we'll be keeping a close eye on how this all unfolds over the coming months (and potentially years).