Nintendo, a prominent figure in the gaming industry, recently faced a significant challenge as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) revoked a patent it had been issued last year. The patent in question pertained to a core game mechanic: the ability for a player to summon an ally to engage in combat on their behalf—a system widely recognized and utilized in popular series such as Pokémon.
The patent was initially granted in September of last year. However, a mere two months later, USPTO Director John Squires took the unusual step of initiating a re-examination of the patent. This decision marked the first instance since 2012 that the head of the office personally ordered such a review without an official complaint from another entity. The primary motivation for this re-evaluation stemmed from doubts regarding the novelty of Nintendo’s claims, especially when compared to existing patents in the field.
Ultimately, the USPTO proceeded to reject all 26 claims of the patent, thereby rendering it null and void. Nevertheless, this ruling is not yet final. Nintendo has been granted a two-month period to formulate a response, with the option to request an extension or to file a formal appeal against the decision.
During the comprehensive re-examination process, the USPTO meticulously reviewed several earlier patents that addressed similar concepts. These included notable developments from Konami (specifically the Yabe patent from 2002), Nintendo’s own prior patents (the Taura patent from 2020 and the Motokura patent from 2022), and Bandai Namco (the Shimomoto patent from 2020). The office concluded that the combined elements and solutions presented in these pre-existing patents effectively invalidated all claims made in Nintendo’s more recent patent due to a demonstrable lack of originality.