The Chinese game Pocket Monster Remake no longer exists. It has been removed from app stores, and the developers have issued a public apology. The Pokémon Company achieved this outcome through legal action, in a case that began with allegations of character copying and ended with a compensation payment and complete removal of the project.

Pocket Monster Remake launched in 2015, featuring monsters, battles, and a user interface that closely resembled the original Pokémon games. The project quickly gained popularity and, in one year, generated $42 million in revenue. In 2022, The Pokémon Company sued two Chinese studios, demanding $72.5 million in damages and a formal apology.

In the fall of 2024, a court in Shenzhen ruled that the developers had violated competition laws. They were ordered to pay $15 million, remove the game, and publicly admit wrongdoing. After an appeal, the companies reached a settlement. The developers published a formal apology and pledged not to use others’ intellectual property without permission in the future.

This isn’t the first time Pokémon has been at the center of legal disputes. In 2018, Niantic paid $1.5 million due to the technical failure of a Pokémon Go event. Later, Nintendo filed a lawsuit against the creators of Palworld, accusing them of copying gameplay mechanics. That case also involved financial compensation and a distribution ban.

The Pokémon Company regularly protects its games and characters through legal means. These lawsuits have become part of a broader strategy, sending a clear message: even unofficial or localized projects that try to imitate Pokémon’s success without permission can face costly consequences.

Similar issues have begun surfacing in the virtual gambling industry as well — particularly in cases involving major titles.

A recent example involved the well-known crash game Aviator. It’s a hugely popular title, featured on many leading online casino platforms. We checked several top-ranked casinos and found the game widely available. In the 1win app — which we read about on app1win — Aviator was among the most played games by users. So the controversy surrounding such a prominent title sparked considerable discussion.

And there’s little doubt that similar scandals will emerge in the near future. After all, the temptation to profit off someone else’s popularity remains strong — and often too hard for some to resist.