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Palworld confirms ‘disappointing’ game changes forced by Pokémon lawsuit
(www.videogameschronicle.com)
this post was submitted on 08 May 2025
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2 years seems like a nightmare for indie developers. Do you want a bunch of AI Chinese cash grabs pushing things out like Hollow Knight 2: Microtransaction Edition or Stardew Valley Romance Sims? Because without IP protection, indie developers will get creamed.
I don't remember all of the differences, but I think you're conflating copyright, patent, and trademark here. Software patents should almost not be a thing, but copyright and trademark should still exist.
Copyright if elements of the game such as 3D models, images and code have been copied.
Trademark if the name of the game is used (i.e. "Stardew Valley Romance Sims").
Patents for game mechanics.
As a side note, personally I think that game mechanics shouldn't be at all patentable
in most countries, afaik, you actually can't patent game mechanics, for the same reason you can't patent rule sets for boardgames:
because they are essentially just logical connections. it would be like patenting math, which is also not allowed, for very obvious reasons. (with some very specific, very niche exceptions)
japan is just plain weird and wrong about their patent system.
that's why all of the lawsuits about this stuff are happening in japan; not just because that's where the companies are, but because japanese copyright law is (especially) fucked.
I don't believe those indie developers have any patents.
You don't need a patent to protect the IP of a game. That's what copyright is for.