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The Pokémon Company sues Chinese clone, seeks £62m and public apology

What happens when they Mimikyu.

The Pokémon Company is taking legal action against a popular Chinese mobile game, Pocket Monster Issue, which it claims is a Pokémon clone.

(No, not like Ditto. Or those Pokémon that Mewtwo made in the movie.)

Pocket Monster Issue is a popular smartphone game in the country, and has been running for more than five years. According to the South China Morning Post (thanks, GamesIndustry.biz), The Pokémon Company is seeking damages worth 500 million yuan (around £62m), and a series of public apologies posted on major gaming websites.

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Images of the game show a 3D overworld reminiscent of the Pokémon series, with numerous familiar character designs.

Pocket Monster Reissue artwork.
Pocket Monster Reissue artwork.

Jiangyin Zhongnan Heavy Industries Co, one of the companies named as having worked on the title, has reportedly earned upwards of 300 million yuan (£37m) to date from the game, which is available via various Chinese app stores.

We've contacted Nintendo for more.

Yesterday, Nintendo lifted the lid on a genuine new Pokémon - the paint-secreting monkey Grafaiai, which will debut in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet later this year.

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