The Pokémon Company secures emphatic victory in copyright Infringement case against Chinese "clone"

by Danny Craig  · 
The Pokémon Company secures emphatic victory in copyright Infringement case against Chinese "clone"
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After a lengthy legal battle, The Pokémon Company has emerged victorious, winning substantial damages in a case against a Chinese mobile game that unlawfully replicated its iconic characters and gameplay.

The details:

  • The legal saga concluded with a definitive ruling from a Chinese court, favoring The Pokémon Company against Guangzhou Maichi Network Technology and Khorgos Fangchi Network Technology. These firms were found to have developed and distributed an unlicensed app that closely mimicked the beloved Pokémon series. Although the specific settlement figure remains confidential, it was previously suggested that The Pokémon Company sought as much as $72 million in damages.
  • Further solidifying the court's decision, the offending companies have issued a public apology, admitting to the infringement and recognizing the broader implications of their actions. "During the second-instance trial and settlement process, we came to understand the severity of our legal violations," they expressed in a statement. "Our game extensively incorporated design elements from the renowned Pokémon video game series, which not only infringed upon its copyrights but also leveraged its well-earned reputation, resulting in unfair competition practices. We have deeply reflected on it and learned our lessons."
  • The game in question, marketed as Pocket Monster: Remake and Pocket Monster: Issue/Reissue, has now been permanently withdrawn from the market.

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