Nintendo denied patent for Poke Ball-style capture-and-release mechanics on touchscreen devices

New information has been discovered that indicates Nintendo has been denied a patent for Poke Ball-style capture-and-release mechanics on touchscreen devices. This would apply to hardware like phones and tablets.

All of this goes back to Nintendo’s battle with Pocketpair and Palworld that’s been taking place for about a year now. The Big N, along with The Pokemon Company, was originally looking for an “injunction against infringement and compensation for damages”. The companies felt that Palworld “infringes multiple patent rights.” More information about what went on throughout 2025 between these companies can be found here.

As for its latest patent request, Nintendo was looking to secure the use of a “touch panel” to “use a capture item for capturing a field character disposed in the field.” This would involve any touch-screen title with a Poke Ball-style capture device used to trap or release a “character owned by the player” so that they can perform “a battle with [a] field character.”

Why are touchscreens the focus here? Well, Palworld is coming to mobile later in 2026. Nintendo probably doesn’t want that to happen, but the new patent application has been denied. The Japan Patent Office deemed that the filing lacked an “inventive step” or add any sort of new innovation beyond mechanics that were previously established.

Technically, this isn’t the end of the road for Nintendo. The company already amended the claims in February and could try to do so again. We’ll update you if there are any further developments. 

Pickmos, originally known as Pickmon, is another game that seems to be taking a page out of Pokemon’s book – and now Palworld as well. The project changed its name last month and most recently removed its Pokemon-like creature designs.