Nintendo patents summoning

Nintendo has shocked the gaming world by securing a new patent that covers one of the most familiar mechanics in video games—calling a character to assist in combat. Although this may seem harmless or clever at first, experts have warned that this patent may cause creativity and innovation to be seriously threatened and the freedom to create sports in ways that fans love to be lost.

According to a report by Games Fry, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) officially gave Nintendo Patent number 12,403,397 on September 2, 2025. The patent application was filed in March 2023, but to raise eyebrows, whether it is already, despite the contract, which is, despite the constitution.

So what does this patent really cover? This is surprisingly wider. Here is a simplified version of the main points that Nintendo mentioned:

The storage medium should have a PC, console, or gaming device with a similar game stored in some form or the other.

A player-controlled character should be able to move freely within a virtual location.

The player must have the ability to call a secondary character—Nintendo calls it a “sub-character,” meaning that it is not the main character controlled by the player. Think of creatures such as Pokémon, or similarly supporting demons that fight with you.

The summoned sub-known can be deployed in various scenarios:

It has been sent to a place where another character already exists and may engage in the fight.

Alternatively, it is sent to a space where there is no immediate fight.

Once called, the sub-character can engage in competing automatically with another character of the pass—even without direct control from the player.

Particularly striking is how this detail shows the common game mechanics seen in countless titles, from the Pokémon series to RPGs, strategy games, and even modern action titles. This is the place where the dispute begins.

Games Fry explains that this patent “is a fundamental threat to creativity and innovation in the sports industry.” It is not just about a title or a lawsuit; it is about a mechanic that is used repeatedly in styles. If applied aggressively, it may motivate patent developers to reconsider or leave the characteristics that have become core for gameplay.

This move also follows Nintendo’s ongoing legal battles, particularly its clash with Pocketpair, the creators of Palworld. Last year, Nintendo filed lawsuits against modders and developers, accusing them of violating copyright by creating and selling “circumvention devices”—tools that allowed players to bypass copy protection. In one case, Nintendo secured a $2 million judgment and injunction against a modder for such activities.

Now, with this latest patent, Nintendo appears to be doubling down on its fight to control popular game mechanics, potentially setting a precedent that could extend far beyond Palworld.

Interestingly, Nintendo’s efforts don’t stop here. Alongside this patent, the company also secured another related patent—No. 12,409,387—which covers the “smooth switching of riding objects.” That means seamless transitions between vehicles or mounts in-game, a feature found in several titles. However, Pocketpair reportedly found ways to work around this particular patent in Palworld, making it less of an immediate concern.

But the “summon and fight” patent, now officially issued, is a different beast altogether. By patenting this mechanic, Nintendo could argue that other games employing similar features are infringing upon its intellectual property. The broadness of the patent makes it a significant tool that could be used to challenge not just Palworld, but hundreds of other games already using or planning to use summoning mechanics.

Inner sources and industry insiders are concerned that it can have a chilling effect on developers. If a company can close such a basic game feature on a large scale like Nintendo, other studios can scramble to patent their own views, even characteristics that are widely considered standard game design. This can lead to more litigation, adorned creativity, and a fragmented gaming environment, where developers are forced to only pay sports players to hop and enjoy a growing web of patents.

The coverage of Games Fry emphasizes this point, stating that the implications are beyond the ongoing trial with Nintendo’s Palworld. It can affect both existing titles and future games that use summons mechanics. Developers can be forced to either pay license fees, re-prepare gameplay facilities, or face expensive legal battles.

The time of this patent also raises eyebrows. It is part of a larger strategy by Nintendo and its associate, the Pokémon Company, to strengthen its legal position as controversies mount. The developers of Palworld have already removed some features in response to the claims of Nintendo—including the ability to call beings known as “Pulse.” But with this new patent, the attitude of Nintendo becomes even more aggressive.

The broad question is: How far can it go? Sports in styles, from the title of strategy to RPG, use similar mechanics where players ask for help in combating colleagues, fauna, or institutions. If this patent is applied, many of these sports can find themselves under legal investigation.

The dispute also taps into a long debate in the gaming industry—where intellectual property security should end, and where creative freedom should begin. After all, sports mechanics develop, borrow, and build on each other over time. Without some levels of openness, innovation can be damaged.

The patent of Nintendo, then, is not just a legal tool; this game is a flashpoint in a conversation about the future of development. Will other companies follow suit and file patents for other basic sports works? Will indie developers and small studios fight to live among expensive cases? And how will it affect the players, who want only a pleasant, familiar gameplay without corporate obstacles?

For now, the industry is watching closely. Nintendo’s move has been approved by the USPTO without much resistance, but whether the courts will maintain this patent in future disputes or challenge it remains to be seen. The fight between intellectual property rights and creative freedom is far from far away—and with this latest patent, Nintendo has thrown a major curveball into the mix.

As legal proceedings come out, developers and players are equally surprised: will it be a significant twist in the innovation point of innovation, or will the patent begin a new era of war?

One thing is clear—the “Saman and Fight” mechanic that gamers have enjoyed for decades is suddenly under a microscope, and the result can shape the industry for the coming years. Nintendo’s legal ambitions are now much larger than ever, and the world of gaming can never be equal.