The universe of Pokémon has once again been the center of an unusual story. A 34-year-old man decided to sue Nintendo and The Pokémon Company after they rejected his application to officially become a Pokémon Professor.
The applicant, identified as Kyle Owens, is claiming $341,000 in compensation after being excluded from the official Play! Pokémon program, despite having achieved a perfect score on the certification exam.
A 34-year-old man decided to sue Nintendo.
What is a Pokémon Professor and why was Nintendo's application rejected?
The official Pokémon Professor program serves as a certification system for judges, organizers, and assistants of tournaments related to the competitive circuit of the franchise.
To access the position, applicants must pass a theoretical exam and undergo a background check.
According to reports, Owens achieved a 100 out of 100 on the official evaluation. However, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company still rejected his entry after reviewing his legal history.
What is a Pokémon Professor and why did Nintendo reject it?
The company detected background issues related to:
Disturbing the peace.
Property damage.
Possession of an offensive weapon.
Among the mentioned items were objects such as a brass knuckle and improvised weapons, which ultimately weighed in the final decision.
Nintendo and The Pokémon Company also rejected his entry after reviewing his legal history.
Nintendo and Pokémon's legal strategy
According to content creator BaityBait, Nintendo not only rejected the applicant's request but also re-evaluated the exam.
After a second evaluation, the company allegedly retroactively reduced Owens' score from 100 to 80 points, thus ensuring that he could not claim the title under any administrative criteria.
This maneuver is part of Nintendo's usual legal strategy, a company known for aggressively defending its brands and official programs.
Nintendo and Pokémon's legal strategy
Why the man is claiming $341,000
One of the most striking points of the lawsuit is the amount demanded by Owens: $341,000.
The plaintiff argues that this would be the money he would have earned organizing Pokémon tournaments and events over the next 20 years in his city of Iowa.
Why is the man claiming US$341,000?
The calculation is extremely unrealistic and difficult to sustain legally.
The lawsuit against Nintendo is unlikely to succeed
Owens maintains that the background issues found during the check do not represent definitive convictions and considers his exclusion unfair.
He even tried to rely on U.S. antitrust laws, such as the Sherman Act, to argue that Nintendo arbitrarily limited his access to the program. However, specialists and analysts believe that the lawsuit has little chance of advancing successfully.
