The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has been one of the biggest hits for Nintendo Switch this year, selling over 18 million units in just two months. Meanwhile, Nintendo has gone to great lengths to safeguard its holdings in the game.
Recently, Automaton reported that Nintendo filed numerous patents for Tears of the Kingdom content, including but not limited to combat mechanics, game physics, loading screens, and more. From July 10th to August 4th, Nintendo made 32 patents public, with 31 pertaining to Tears of the Kingdom‘s general mechanics and in-game combat abilities. This incident showcases Nintendo’s aggressive nature when it comes to protecting their properties and assets.
Some of the patents pertain to Tears of the Kingdom‘s general mechanics, including but not limited to Link’s Ultrahand and Fuse abilities. These patents also extend to side characters’ unique abilities, like Riju’s remote lightning attack. Further, Nintendo patented a specific game mechanic where if Link interacts with a movable object underneath him, he will move at the same speed and direction as the object of it moves. Although this mechanic seems generic, it’s distinctive in its lack of physics between Link and the dynamic object. From first glance, these particular patents seem reasonable.
However, a notable feature Nintendo patented was a short loading sequence that occurs during fast travel segments. This patent is reportedly meant to provide a “game processing method capable of enriching game presentation during a waiting period in which at least part of the game processing is interrupted”, consisting of a sequence where a map of the starting point transforms into an image of the destination. Regarding these patents, Automaton noted how “fascinating” it was how smaller game mechanics could feature unique intricacies, but also how excessive Nintendo is when it comes to patents and copyright protection.
These are only the patents Nintendo has officially confirmed. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is currently available on Nintendo Switch.