Key Takeaways
Created with AI - we're still experimenting, so apologies if it misses the mark
- Honkai: Nexus Animas creature summoning mechanics may lead to legal scrutiny from Nintendo due to similarities with patented gameplay mechanics found in Pokémon Scarlet and Palworld.
- Nintendo has broadened the scope of its patent on rideable creatures for travel, including both flying and gliding abilities, following a dispute with Pocketpair over Palworlds gliding feature.
- Nintendos legal team may take notice of Honkai: Nexus Anima due to mechanics that could potentially infringe upon Nintendos registered patents, as identified by Florian Mueller.
- Developers should be cautious when incorporating creature summoning and travel mechanics in their games, particularly if they resemble Nintendos protected gameplay features.
Nintendo’s Legal Scrutiny Over Honkai: Nexus Anima’s Creature Summoning Mechanics
miHoYo has showcased gameplay for Honkai: Nexus Anima, a new creature-collecting game that may prompt scrutiny from Nintendo’s legal team, similar to the situation with Palworld. Florian Mueller, who monitors Nintendo’s case against Pocketpair over Palworld, identified specific gameplay mechanics in Honkai: Nexus Anima that could infringe upon Nintendo’s registered patents. As Automaton Media explains, one such patent initially concerned flying mounts, exemplified by Pokémon Scarlet’s winged creature mounts for traversing game landscapes. This patent’s original focus on “smooth travel” did not directly apply to Palworld; nevertheless, Pocketpair removed the gliding ability from its game. During its legal dispute with Pocketpair, Nintendo subsequently amended the patent’s scope to include the summoning of rideable creatures for travel, encompassing both flying and gliding. These amended patent features are present in Honkai: Nexus Anima, which could draw the attention of Nintendo’s legal team.
