As some of you may know, Nintendo managed to get Palworld to remove its catching mechanics because they own the concept.
(I did use ChatGPT to help with the similarities between Pokemon and WoW since that is the same thing Palworld is getting done for. Hehe, enjoy the read )
The Core Issue
Nintendo’s lawsuit specifically targets features that are foundational to creature-catching games:
Projectile-based mechanics: Using a projectile (like a Pokéball or Pal Sphere) to summon or catch creatures.
Success rate indicators: Displaying probabilities or other indicators of success when attempting to capture creatures.
Utility of creatures: Deploying captured creatures for tasks such as combat, resource gathering, or transportation.
WoW’s battle pet system shares similarities with these mechanics. Players use traps to capture pets after engaging them in turn-based combat. Although WoW does not use projectiles in the same way as Pokémon or Palworld, its mechanics could still fall under scrutiny if interpreted broadly.
Potential Risks to WoW’s Battle Pet System
Catching Mechanics:
WoW’s battle pet capture system uses traps, which are functionally similar to other creature-catching mechanics. If Nintendo’s patents are upheld, Blizzard might need to revise how players acquire new pets to avoid potential legal risks.
Success Indicators:
WoW provides visual cues and health thresholds to indicate when a pet is ready to be trapped. This feature bears resemblance to the “success rate” mechanics described in Nintendo’s claims, potentially making it a point of contention.
Broader Implications:
Nintendo’s actions may encourage other companies to enforce patents on gameplay mechanics, which could affect Blizzard’s freedom to innovate in systems resembling Pokémon or similar games.
No, because Blizzard - by virtue of Microsoft - have a leveled up army of lawyers themselves. And Nintendo is notorious for targeting easy prey, so to speak, with their lawsuits.
The lawsuit regarding Palworld is in Japan, where the judicial system tends to favor Nintendo for various reasons. That would not be the case in another country, hence why we don’t see – and will not see – Nintendo sue any big companies in the United States or Europe.
But the end of Pet Battles? Sure, metaphorically speaking, then Pet Battles haven’t really been given any attention in WoW for years now, so that’s a feature that’s probably seen the end of Blizzard’s interest some time ago already.
When i heard about it and saw what it looks like now, the whole catching mechanics are completely gone which made me think of Battle pets, tho that kinda died out but I’m sure there are some battle pet fans out there.
Yeah, and it’s not exactly resource intensive to add some content for it.
Each patch could do a Pet Battle Dungeon.
Each expansion should have a quest line similar to Falcosaur in Legion.
The occassional tournament like on Timeless Isle might be good too.
All they do now is add 2 tamers to each zone and have an achievement to beat them with full teams of a single family. Been like this for so long now.
Nintendo. Never once have I felt a shred of sympathy for that company when something like this happened, especially after they saw fit to destroy EMUParadise and in a stroke wipe out of existence tens of thousands of videogames that will never again see the light of day.
And all because they couldn’t bear the thought that someone was doing their job for them in cataloging their old games for future generations.
Besides all the “Nintendo vs Microsoft”-banter, WoW pet battles are just a minigame, a side-activity from the main game (Running around like silly people killing stuff), while it’s a major part of Palworld’s gameplay, so it’s a bit “Apples and Oranges” to compare WoW to Palworld in this way, or indeed any other way.
I enjoy pet battling in WOW but some of the things are annoying and could use some revamp…
like having to fight 3 pets before you can catch one you desire
or that RNG where you are looking for specific one and if it’s not between those 3 you abandon kill it and wait.
I personally like fighting 1V1 i don’t like team of 3v3
And if nintendo is any smart they would tell their lawyers to shush in the US against a company like Microsoft.
The patents in the US being challenged by a company that can afford the lawsuit will result in the patents to be revoked (this has happened before and isnt anything new) if they actually get looked at. I assume you refer to their arceus patents.
In countries like germany the patent nintendo sues palworld for isnt even allowed to be granted (you cant patent basic mechanics).
Nintendo is notorious for sueing small people. Was the same with mexico recently where they wanted to sue the switch emu dev. He didnt go to court because of the cost it would involve despite mexico allowing said emulators and nintendo would have lost the case (a lot of people cant afford to run a lawsuit they dont know how long it could take since they have to pay their lawyer until the victory themselves)
They don’t have to sue in US/EU when their target is located in Japan, or has their HQ there. They will just utterly destroy them there to get their goal.
In Palworld that’s the core of the game. In wow it’s an extra that almost no one plays because Blizzard hasn’t paid attention to it in a long time. So, no.
)
I enjoy pet battling in WOW but some of the things are annoying and could use some revamp…