The Japanese patent information platform J-PlatPat recently announced that The Pokémon Company, a subsidiary of the well-known game company Nintendo, has obtained patents for distributed ledger technology and NFT (non-fungible tokens). It may be used in other works that have not yet been announced, and more details need to wait for official announcements.
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ToggleWhy digital cards become NFTs: Preserving the emotion of the card
The patent application reveals the Pokémon Company’s vision for the future of Pokémon cards. The company plans to achieve the goal of "preserving the emotion of the cards" in the game. Physical cards can be kept or displayed as collectibles, and rare cards can even be bought and sold at high prices. However, digital cards are stored in the game account and are not available for physical collection.
If distributed ledger and blockchain technology can be used to convert digital cards into NFTs (non-fungible tokens), it will be in line with the concept of "preserving the emotion of the card". It allows users to freely buy, sell and exchange cards on the NFT platform, further boosting transaction volume and bringing in benefits such as handling fees.
Smart contract design card NFT reward mechanism
The patent application also mentions that "rewards" will be provided based on the results of the battle and the player's support. Specifically, these "reward mechanisms" are implemented through smart contracts on the blockchain. If players use NFT to a certain extent and meet special conditions, they will receive relative rewards.
The upcoming Pokémon mobile game Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket
After the patent was approved, news also surfaced that The Pokémon Company will launch the mobile game " Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket " on October 30, 2024. The app has opened up pre-orders for players on the App Store and Google Play, indicating that the game will be launched soon.
The future prospects of Pokémon importing NFT
Although the patent application mentions NFT technology, according to unconfirmed news, the Pokémon Company has denied plans to use NFT in this game .
The patent application did not mention the specific title of the work, so these patents may be used for other works that have not yet been announced by the Pokémon Company. More details need to wait for the official announcement.
From comic cartoons to games, prices come from emotions
From comics to cartoons, from the handheld Nintendo GameBoy to the mobile game Pokemon GO that can be caught anywhere.
From a pack of Pokémon cards for NT$30 in a bookstore to a card from well-known YouTuber Logan Paul priced at US$5 million. The charm of Pokémon is unstoppable and has carried the childhood memories of generations around the world. And all this is because of the love and emotion for Pokémon, and therefore Nintendo has taken a fancy to this. In the future, Pokémon NFT may become "white-hot" to an unimaginable level. We will wait and see.
