Nintendo has firmly denied ongoing speculation that it has been pressuring the Japanese government to impose regulations on generative AI. Interestingly, this confirmation comes from a company that recently initiated legal action against Palworld over its similarities to Pokémon. The rumors gained traction after Japanese politician Satoshi Asano alleged that Nintendo was lobbying for government intervention to safeguard its intellectual property concerning AI. Asano has since retracted his statement and offered an apology via social media. He has also erased his earlier post due to its misleading nature. (Thanks, Eurogamer.)
In a tweet today, Nintendo clarified, “Contrary to recent discussions on the internet, Nintendo has not had any contact with the Japanese government about generative AI. Regardless of AI involvement, we will continue to take necessary actions against infringement of our intellectual property rights.”
Insights from Legal Experts
Even the former chief legal officer of Pokémon has expressed skepticism about Nintendo’s recent patent concerning Pokémon mechanics, suggesting its enforceability is questionable: “I wish Nintendo and Pokémon good luck.”
An IP expert has noted that Nintendo’s patent is unlikely to pose a significant threat to titles like Palworld and Persona, citing existing avenues that could challenge its validity, including StarCraft.
The publishing lead for Baldur’s Gate 3 remarked that patents similar to those Nintendo has secured in its Palworld lawsuit “are too often used in bad faith.”
Developing Games with a Human Touch
Former Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser did not dismiss the potential of generative AI in game development earlier this year but emphasized that Nintendo values the unique contribution of its developers. Bowser stated, “What makes our games special is our developers, their artistic capabilities, their insight into how people play, so there’s always, always going to be a human touch and engagement in how we develop and build our games.”
These remarks are consistent with statements made by Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa, who previously acknowledged the creative possibilities of generative AI while also addressing concerns regarding intellectual property rights.
To explore more about upcoming titles on the Switch 2, check out what Nintendo has planned for the future.