The Pokémon Company Wins Lawsuit for Copyright Infringement Against Chinese Firms
The Pokémon Company won a lawsuit on September 17, 2024, against Chinese firms for copyright infringement and intellectual property theft related to the mobile game Pocket Monster Reissue.
On September 17, 2024, The Pokémon Company won a lawsuit against several Chinese companies for copyright infringement and intellectual property theft.
The lawsuit, filed in December 2021, targeted six companies involved in the development and publishing of Pocket Monster Reissue (also known as Koudaiyaoguai Fuke), a mobile game that blatantly plagiarized characters and designs from the Pokémon franchise, including well-known figures like Ash Ketchum and Pikachu.
The mobile game had been highly profitable, earning over $42 million in a single year. The Pokémon Company initially sought around $72 million in damages and demanded public apologies from the companies involved, according to The South China Morning Post.
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In its ruling, the Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court recognized the infringement, ordering one of the companies to pay 107 million Chinese yuan (around $15 million). Additionally, three other companies were held jointly liable but have since filed appeals against the court’s decision.
This legal victory highlights The Pokémon Company's ongoing efforts to protect its intellectual property globally .
