A videogame patent lawyer breaks down Nintendo's risky Palworld lawsuit: 'It definitely feels like a punishment'

Last week, Nintendo announced that it was pursuing a patent lawsuit against Pocketpair, the developers of Palworld. The announcement kicked off a frenzy of discourse and speculation: Is Nintendo suing Pocketpair over patents on Pokémon catching? What are Pocketpair's odds of survival when staring down the Nintendo legal behemoth? Why can a videogame publisher hold patents on game design in the first place?

Navigating the complicated world of intellectual property law is a nightmare in the best circumstances, so I sought out an expert.