IP lawyers have criticised the U.S. patent system after Nintendo was awarded a Pokémon patent that revolves around summoning a character and letting it fight.

Nintendo has been granted a US patent for a gameplay mechanic central to the Pokemon series, specifically involving summoning a character to fight. The decision has drawn criticism from intellectual property lawyers, who argue that the patent covers mechanics used in many other games and should not have been granted. The patent was filed in 2023 and is part of a broader legal strategy by Nintendo, which is currently in litigation with Pocket Pair, the developer of Palworld, over alleged infringement of similar mechanics.

Legal experts have expressed skepticism about the enforceability of the patent, noting the existence of prior art in other games. Pocket Pair has already made changes to Palworld to address the dispute, such as altering how characters are summoned and how gliding works in the game. The situation highlights ongoing debates about the scope and impact of software patents in the video game industry.

Nintendo receives controversial Pokemon patent

What's up everybody, Damon here and in today's gaming news, lawyers respond to Nintendo's surprising new patent, new PlayStation Plus games are announced, and a quick update on the Bioshock movie. This is your Daily Fix. IP lawyers have criticized the US patent system after Nintendo was awarded a Pokemon patent that revolves around summoning a character and letting it fight. News Frey reported that patent number 12,403,397 was granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office without any objection to Nintendo, which has embroiled in ongoing litigation with Pocket Pair, the developer of Palworld. While the patent pretty much sums up how Pokemon games work, in that you summon Pokemon to battle other Pokemon in the hope of adding them to your collection, there are countless other games that use similar mechanics such as Persona, Digimon, and even Elden Ring. The patent was filed back in 2023. Reaction to the patent is a mix of shock and concern about what it might mean not just for existing games that use similar mechanics, but future titles. IP lawyers, or intellectual property lawyers, have criticized the development. IP expert Floria Mueller took to social media to say Nintendo should never have received a summon character and let it fight patent in the first place, while video game patent lawyer Kirk Sigman told PC Gamer these claims were in no way allowable. However, Don McGowan, former chief legal officer at the Pokemon company, told Eurogamer the patent will likely be ignored. He said, I wish Nintendo and Pokemon good luck when the first other developer just entirely ignores this patent, and if those companies sue that developer, the developer shows decades of prior art. Nintendo also now owns US patent number 12,409,387, which relates to the smooth switching of writing objects mechanism. These latest successful filings now join a suite of other patents owned by the company, including one that protects the mechanic of using a capture item to snare characters in games, a Pokeball in other words. It all comes after Nintendo and the Pokemon company's patent lawsuit against Pocket Pair. The case involves three patents granted by the Japan Patent Office, two related to monster capture and release, and one related to writing characters. All three patents were filed in 2024 after Pal World came out. However, they are actually derived from earlier Nintendo patents dating from 2021. In other words, it seems that once Pal World came on the scene, Nintendo filed divisional patents that were geared to fight specifically against Pal World's alleged infringement of the original patents. Since then, Pocket Pair has made changes to Pal World's disputed mechanics. The November 2024 patch removed the ability to summon pals by throwing Pokeball-like palspheres. Now pals just materialize next to you when summoned. In May this year, another Pal World update changed how you can glide in the game. Instead of directly grabbing onto glider pals, now you just use pal-buffed glider equipment. At the Game Developers Conference in March, John Buckley, communications director and publishing manager for Pocket Pair, said Nintendo's lawsuit against the studio came as a shock and was something that no one even considered. Moving on, Sony has announced the PlayStation Plus game catalog lineup for September. September sees WWE 2K25, Persona 5 Tactica, Green Hell, Fate, Samurai Remnant, and more join the service. Meanwhile, PS2 action-adventure game Legacy of Kain Defiance joins the Premium tier, which makes the game playable on PS4 and PS5 for the first time. WWE 2K25 launched in March and was received well by critics. Persona 5 Tactica, meanwhile, is the turn-based strategy spin-off of the much-loved role-playing series Persona. We gave it an 8 out of 10. Legacy of Kain Defiance, developed by Crystal Dynamics, launched in 2003 on PS2, Xbox, and PC, and went down as the fifth and final game in the Legacy of Kain series. All games are available Tuesday, September 16th. And finally today, the long-awaited Bioshock movie will adapt the series' first game, as producer has confirmed, as work on the film's script continues. Netflix announced plans for a movie version of 2K Games' beloved franchise back in 2022, following earlier, discarded plans for a Bioshock movie that stretched back almost two decades. But recent years have seen the project stall again as Netflix cuts change the scope of the movie. Now, producer Roy Lee has confirmed the project is still in active development, with The Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence remaining on board. Lee told The Direct, "...Netflix wants us to keep everything under wraps, but it's definitely going to be based on the first Bioshock game." Lee went on to say that Lawrence had the Bioshock movie lined up as his next project after The Hunger Games' Sunrise on the Reaping, which is set to go into production soon ahead of a November 2026 release date. "...Bioshock was delayed for a little bit, where we had to do some more script work," Lee said. "...And so, as the script work is being done, we shot the long walk, and he was already committed to doing the next Hunger Games movie. And so it's just waiting for him whenever The Hunger Games is completed and the script is just being worked on right now." Back in the world of video games, 2K recently confirmed it had overhauled the similarly long-awaited Bioshock 4, which has been in development for the last decade. Amid layoffs and a further delay to the project's release, former Gears of Warhead and Diablo franchise lead Rod Ferguson will now oversee the project. And that's your Daily Fix. If you're looking for something to play right now that helps support a great cause, head over to Humble. Live now through October 7th, grab 8 incredible games for just $14.99, including WWE 2K25, Destiny 2 Legacy Collection 25, The Plucky Squire, and Return to Monkey Island. Every purchase supports Team Rubicon, a veteran-led humanitarian organization that unites military veterans, first responders, and civilians to deliver aid where it's needed most. By joining in, you're not just building your library, you're helping communities recover and rebuild. I'm Damon Hatfield, and for all your video game news, stay tuned to IGN.

The United Nations Security Council has condemned the Israeli attack on the Qatari capital Doha on Tuesday and called for de-escalation in a statement agreed by all 15 members, including Israel’s chief ally, the United States.

Doha

Middle East Conflict

UNSC members condemn Israel over deadly strike on Qatar

Ryan Routh, accused of attempting to assassinate former President Trump in South Florida last year, is representing himself in court. As the trial opened, Routh forfeited his chance to deliver an opening statement, setting the stage for proceedings.

Fort Pierce

Trump assassination attempt suspect defends himself in trial

Photos of a "person of interest" in the assassination of Charlie Kirk were released by the Salt Lake City FBI. Authorities are searching for the person who shot and killed the conservative activist at an event at Utah Valley University.

Orem

Photos released of "person of interest" in Charlie Kirk assassination

Authorities shared new details about the suspect's movements leading up to the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The search for the suspect continued on Thursday.

FBI says it has good video of Charlie Kirk shooting suspect

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will award conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated during a campus event in Utah, the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously.

Washington

Trump says he'll award Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Authorities say the weapon used in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been recovered and law enforcement tracked the movements of the suspect.

Officials: Weapon in Charlie Kirk shooting recovered; suspect tracked

Trump vowed retribution in an Oval Office address after his close ally and conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on a campus in Utah. A massive search for the killer intensified following Kirk's death, with police going door-to-door looking for the shooter.

Trump pledges to find killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk

The UAE’s President Mohammed bin Zayed visited Doha a day after Israel’s strike, signalling Gulf solidarity. Qatar’s prime minister called the strike “state terror,” accusing Israel of killing hopes for a hostage deal and demanding Netanyahu face justice.

Qatar seeks ‘collective response’ to Israeli attack

Poland is rejecting the claim that Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace by accident and says the move is reckless and could lead to potential escalation.

Warsaw

Ukraine Invasion

Europe on edge after Russian drones invade Polish airspace

Prince Harry and King Charles had a private tea in London, Buckingham Palace. This marks their first meeting in nearly two years. Harry, the Duke of Sussex, last saw his father in early 2024, shortly after it was announced the King was undergoing cancer treatment.

London

King Charles, Prince Harry meet for the first time in nearly 2 years

U.S. President Donald Trump says rightwing political activist Charlie Kirk is dead after being shot in the neck at a university campus event in Utah. There is not a suspect in custody.

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk killed in shooting, Trump says

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Luiz Fux voted on Wednesday (September 10) to acquit former President Jair Bolsonaro of forming a criminal organization and voted to annul his trial over jurisdiction, breaking with peers and raising the odds of an appeal after the final verdict this week.

Brasilia

Brazilian judge votes to annul Bolsonaro case, breaking with peers

U.S. President Donald Trump urged EU officials on Tuesday to hit China with tariffs of up to 100% as part of a strategy to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a U.S. official and an EU diplomat.

Global Tariffs

Trump urges EU to impose 100% tariffs on China and India, sources say

Poland shot down drones that entered its airspace during a widespread Russian attack in western Ukraine, with the NATO member calling the incursion "an act of aggression." It marks the first time a member of the alliance has fired shots in the war.

Poland downs Russian drones in first shots fired by NATO member in war

Two Brazilian Supreme Court justices voted to convict former President Jair Bolsonaro of leading a criminal conspiracy to overturn the 2022 election, as they cast the first votes in the final phase of the ex-president's trial.

Two Brazil Supreme Court justices vote to convict Bolsonaro

Nepal’s prime minister has stepped down with at least 22 people dead, the country’s parliament in flames and its main airport shut down during a violent revolt. The unrest started over a social media ban and grew into a broader anti-corruption protest.

Kathmandu

Nepal’s parliament set on fire, PM resigns as protests spiral

U.S. President Donald Trump can't escape questions about Jeffrey Epstein as a congressional committee released a suggestive personal note to Epstein allegedly from Trump, for the convicted sex offender’s 50th birthday.

White House denies alleged Trump letter to Epstein is authentic

Israel's military said it "conducted a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization," amid reports of large explosions in Qatar's capital city, Doha.

Hamas says none of its leadership killed in Israeli strike on Doha

French President Emmanuel Macron has named loyalist Sebastien Lecornu, a one-time conservative protégé who rallied behind his 2017 presidential run, as prime minister. Analysts say France is in the midst of a complicated political crisis.

Paris

France's Macron names loyalist Lecornu as new PM

Videos circulating online reveal a luminous flying object hitting the vessel. No crew members were harmed. Activists part of the flotilla say they will not be deterred by the attack, and that their mission will continue as planned.

Flotilla for Gaza ship struck by drone off Tunisia, organizers say

The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the U.S. labor market added 911,000 fewer jobs between April 2024 and March 2025. CBS News MoneyWatch correspondent Kelly O'Grady breaks it down.

U.S. jobs growth revised down by 911,000

A Michigan judge has dropped criminal charges against 15 people who were accused of trying to falsely certify Donald Trump as the winner of the 2020 presidential election. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul has the latest.

Michigan

Judge tosses case against 15 accused fake Trump electors in 2020

Israel says it carried out a strike targeting Hamas leaders. One Israeli official says it happened in Doha, Qatar. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio reports.

Israel targets Hamas leadership in Doha strike

The Trump administration launched a new immigration enforcement operation in Chicago, saying the latest federal crackdown in a US city would target the "worst of the worst criminals." But activists in the city remain defiant and say they will resist efforts by ICE to snatch people off the streets.

Chicago

Activists defiant as Trump launches ICE raids in Chicago

Norway's Labour Party has won four more years in government after seeing off a surge in support for the right. But exit polls predict it will only have a small majority, and its future may depend on how it navigates Norway's relationship with the rest of the world.

Oslo

Norway’s PM Stoere claims victory in general election

Officials in Nepal say at least 16 people are dead and dozens more injured after police opened fire on protesters. Tens of thousands, mostly young people, rallied in the capital Kathmandu against the government's ban on platforms including Facebook, X, and YouTube.

Multiple fatalities as Nepal police fire on protesters

France's Prime Minister François Bayrou overwhelmingly lost a confidence vote Monday after nine months in office. CBS News correspondent Shanelle Kaul has more.

French PM François Bayrou ousted after losing confidence vote

The U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to continue its sweeping immigration stops in the Los Angeles area after they were briefly halted. CBS News immigration reporter Camilo Montoya-Galvez has more.

Supreme Court allows L.A. immigration stops to continue

Two Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a bus stop on the outskirts of Jerusalem on Monday (September 8), killing six people in what police described as "a terrorist attack," one of the deadliest in the city in the past few years.

Jerusalem

Palestinian gunmen kill six at Jerusalem bus stop

U.S. President Donald Trump said he was ready to hit Russia with a second phase of sanctions after its largest air attack on Ukraine in nearly four years of war. The assault on Saturday caused serious damage in Ukraine's capital, including to one of its most important government buildings.

Breakdown