Chinese Pokémon Clone Faces Copyright Loss

The Pokémon Company triumphs in a significant copyright infringement case against Chinese companies that created a blatant copy of its popular franchise. A Shenzhen court awarded the company $15 million in damages, a substantial victory in a legal battle that began in December 2021.

The lawsuit targeted the developers of "Pokémon Monster Reissue," a mobile RPG that closely mimicked Pokémon's characters, creatures, and gameplay. The game's striking similarities, including the use of Pikachu and Ash Ketchum imagery in its icon and advertising, were central to the case. While acknowledging the existence of other monster-catching games, The Pokémon Company successfully argued that "Pokémon Monster Reissue" went beyond inspiration and constituted outright plagiarism. Examples cited included the use of Pikachu artwork from Pokémon Yellow and the prominent featuring of recognizable characters like Ash, Oshawott, Pikachu, Tepig and Rosa from Black and White 2.

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, the $15 million award serves as a strong deterrent against future copyright infringement. Three of the six sued companies have reportedly filed appeals.

In a statement translated from GameBiz, The Pokémon Company reiterated its commitment to protecting its intellectual property to ensure fans worldwide can enjoy Pokémon content without disruption.

The company’s approach to fan projects has faced scrutiny in the past. Former Chief Legal Officer Don McGowan clarified in a March interview that the company generally doesn't actively seek out fan projects for takedowns. Action is typically taken when projects gain significant traction, such as through funding platforms like Kickstarter. He highlighted that media attention often brings fan projects to the company's attention.

Despite this policy, The Pokémon Company has issued takedown notices for some smaller fan projects, including creation tools, games like Pokémon Uranium, and even viral videos featuring fan-made content.