The Pokémon Company has announced that it has reached a settlement in its lawsuit against the operators of the Chinese mobile game Pocket Monster: Reprint. The game, which used characters from the Pokémon series without authorization, was a highly popular title that generated over $40 million in revenue within a year. However, in December 2021, it was sued for intellectual property infringement.
Pocket Monster: Reprint featured official Pokémon designs so accurately that many players mistook it for an official title. However, The Pokémon Company had no involvement in the game and filed a lawsuit, claiming it was an unauthorized use of its intellectual property.
In September 2024, a court ruled in favor of The Pokémon Company, recognizing copyright infringement and violations of unfair competition laws. The defendants were ordered to pay approximately $16 million in damages. The defendants appealed, leading to a second trial in December 2024. However, with this settlement, the legal dispute has now been resolved.
As part of the settlement, the defendants issued a formal apology, acknowledging their copyright infringement and unfair competition practices. They also admitted to causing significant financial damage and harm to The Pokémon Company's brand image. Additionally, all distribution of Pocket Monster: Reprint has been halted, and the game has been completely shut down.
Viewer Comments:
This looks way too much like the real thing—no wonder people got tricked.
Honestly, it actually looks kinda fun.
They made more money than the damages they had to pay, so no wonder scams like this keep happening.
Source:『ポケモン』まるごと盗用のゲームアプリ会社、株ポケに訴えられて“悪あがき”するも終結。損害賠償22億円に加えて「謝罪声明」まで出すことに – AUTOMATON
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