The Pokémon Company has successfully won a $15 million lawsuit against a Chinese game developer for copyright infringement. The legal action was taken over “Pocket Monster Reissue,” also known as “Koudaiyaoguai Fuke,” a mobile turn-based RPG that blatantly used Pokémon characters without permission.
The game, which has been available since 2015, featured characters such as Pikachu and Ash Ketchum, along with others like Tepig and Oshawott, all of which closely resembled their original designs from the Pokémon franchise. Gameplay videos show that the characters were used without significant alteration.
“Pocket Monster Reissue” gained popularity and reportedly earned more than 42 million USD in 2022, according to the South China Morning Post. This clear violation of intellectual property prompted The Pokémon Company to pursue legal action.
The lawsuit highlights the strict stance taken by The Pokémon Company on copyright infringement, particularly against blatant imitations in the gaming market.
