Sega sues Memento Mori developer over alleged patent infringements
Japanese publisher claims Bank of Innovation's mobile games infringe on five patents
Sega Corporation has filed a lawsuit against Japanese developer Bank of Innovation, alleging that the studio has infringed on multiple patents held by the Sonic publisher.
Bank of Innovation is best known for its idle RPG Memento Mori, one of the titles Sega is targeting in a filing submitted to the Tokyo District Court.
Japanese news site Otaku Research Institute reported the publisher is seeking ¥1 billion in damages, as well as an injunction against Memento Mori and related content. Bank of Innovation said it does not believe its titles infringe on Sega's rights and will defend itself from this litigation.
It is reported that the two companies were in ongoing discussions over this issue but were unable to reach an agreement, leading Sega to take legal action.
Japan-based analyst Dr Serkan Toto said via X that one of the five patents in question concerns a specific system for fusing character cards of the same kind in collection games.
He added that the ¥1 billion damages, if granted to Sega, will "significantly hurt BOI financially."
The news comes just one month after Nintendo and The Pokémon Company similarly sued Palworld developer Pocketpair over the alleged infringement of multiple patent rights.
In this instance, a legal expert told GamesIndustry.biz that some of these patents were likely designed and filed specifically to target Palworld.