Nintendo has once again shaken the gaming industry by securing a U.S. patent on one of the most fundamental mechanics in role-playing games: the ability to summon creatures or secondary characters into battle. This development, approved on September 2 after being filed in March 2023, has ignited a heated discussion among developers, players, and legal experts about the future of RPGs.
The newly granted patent describes the act of summoning a “secondary character” in a virtual environment who can automatically or by command fight enemies on behalf of the player. While this mechanic has existed in countless franchises for decades, from Pokémon to Diablo, Nintendo now holds legal rights to a broad definition of the concept. The patent approval comes at a tense moment as Nintendo continues its legal battle against Pocketpair, the studio behind Palworld, a game that drew comparisons to Pokémon for its use of creature collection and summoning mechanics.
What makes this situation controversial is the broad scope of Nintendo’s patent language. Popular games across genres rely on similar systems: Elden Ring allows summoning NPCs and friends to fight bosses, Persona and Shin Megami Tensei revolve entirely around summoning demons, and in Diablo, necromancers command skeleton armies while druids control beasts. Even though these features have become a staple of modern RPG gameplay, Nintendo now holds a patent that could, at least theoretically, apply to all of them.
The concern is not limited to Nintendo’s immediate rivals. By securing this patent, Nintendo could set a precedent for aggressive intellectual property claims in gaming, potentially sparking a wave of patent wars. Smaller indie studios may be the first casualties, as they often lack the resources to challenge or defend themselves against corporate legal pressure. In an industry where innovation thrives on experimentation, the fear is that such patents could stifle creativity and discourage new mechanics from being developed.
Analysts also note that this move might represent a shift toward monetizing patents themselves, either through direct enforcement or by licensing them to third parties. In a competitive gaming landscape, patents could become weapons as valuable as the games themselves.
For now, Nintendo has not yet announced plans to enforce the patent broadly, but its existence alone could serve as a chilling effect on developers. Even if unused, the possibility that Nintendo might leverage it against competitors remains a looming threat. For an industry where summoning allies, creatures, and companions is a core gameplay experience, this decision could reshape how developers approach game design moving forward.
Conclusion
Nintendo’s patent on the summoning mechanic marks a pivotal moment for the gaming industry. While it may protect the company’s flagship franchises, it also risks igniting legal battles and creative restrictions across RPG development. Whether this patent becomes an active weapon or simply a dormant shield, one thing is clear: the future of RPGs just became more complicated.
