The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) is taking legal action against Pokémon Pty Ltd in the Federal Court of Australia over advertisements for a new NFT-based Pokémon mobile game. TPCi claims that Pokémon Pty Ltd, through its website Cotyota Studios, has falsely advertised the game, called Pokeworld, as being developed by TPCi and Nintendo. In legal documents, TPCi asserts that they have no affiliation with Pokémon Pty Ltd or Cotyota Studios. TPCi has requested that the court prohibit Pokémon Pty Ltd from using TPCi’s trademarks, releasing games, or selling any NFTs that use TPCi’s intellectual property. TPCi’s attorney also specifically stated that TPCi and Nintendo have not made any plans to launch Pokémon NFTs. The court has found TPCi to have a strong case and has requested additional information before imposing costs or damages. If Pokémon Pty Ltd fails to respond, further legal action may be taken.
It is worth noting that TPCi owns the rights to the Pokémon franchise, while Pokémon Pty Ltd does not. TPCi has accused Pokémon Pty Ltd of attempting to deceive the public and profit off of TPCi’s intellectual property.
The court case was first filed on December 19, 2022, with the first hearing taking place on December 21, 2022. TPCi’s legal counsel appeared at the hearing, but no one from Pokémon Pty Ltd or Cotyota Studios was present.
According to the legal documents, the Pokeworld website advertised the game as being “Brought to you by The Pokémon Company International and Cotyota.” The website also included a roadmap for the game’s launch in January 2023 and the issuance of Pokémon character-related NFTs. It is believed that Kotiota Studios reached out to media outlets to generate interest in their game, which is how TPCi became aware of it.
As a result of the court case, Pokémon Pty Ltd is currently required to cease all operations, including advertising for the game. It is unclear at this time what the outcome of the case will be, but TPCi is seeking to protect its intellectual property and prevent any false or unauthorized use of its trademarks.
