The Pokémon Company successfully defended its intellectual property in a significant copyright lawsuit against Chinese companies that allegedly copied its iconic characters and gameplay. The Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court awarded The Pokémon Company $15 million in damages, a substantial victory following a legal battle initiated in December 2021.
The lawsuit targeted several Chinese companies responsible for the mobile RPG, "Pokémon Monster Reissue," which featured blatant copies of Pokémon characters, creatures, and core gameplay mechanics. The game, launched in 2015, showcased striking similarities to the Pokémon franchise, including characters resembling Pikachu and Ash Ketchum, and gameplay mirroring the series' signature turn-based battles and creature collection system. While acknowledging the existence of other monster-catching games, The Pokémon Company argued that "Pokémon Monster Reissue" crossed the line from inspiration to outright plagiarism. This was evident in the game's icon, which used Pikachu artwork from Pokémon Yellow, and its advertisements, which prominently featured Ash Ketchum, Oshawott, Pikachu, and Tepig.
Initially, The Pokémon Company sought $72.5 million in damages, along with a public apology and a cease-and-desist order. While the final judgment was lower than the initial demand, the $15 million award serves as a strong deterrent against future copyright infringement. Three of the six sued companies reportedly plan to appeal the decision.
The Pokémon Company reiterated its commitment to protecting its intellectual property to ensure fans worldwide can enjoy Pokémon content without disruption. This commitment, however, has faced past criticism regarding the takedown of fan projects. Former Chief Legal Officer Don McGowan clarified that the company doesn't actively seek out fan projects but intervenes when projects gain significant traction or cross a line from homage to infringement. He stated that the company typically learns of fan projects through media or personal discovery, emphasizing that publicity can inadvertently bring projects to their attention. Despite this, The Pokémon Company has issued takedown notices for projects with minimal reach, including fan-made tools, games like Pokémon Uranium, and even viral videos.
