Judge throws out man’s Nintendo lawsuit over being denied “Pokemon Professor” status

A federal judge has dismissed an Iowa man’s “absurd” $341,000 lawsuit against Nintendo and The Pokemon Company after he was denied “Pokemon Professor” certification.

Kyle Owens, 34, filed the lawsuit in May, alleging that the companies violated federal antitrust laws by preventing him from becoming an official Pokemon Professor.

Owens wanted the court to award him at least $341,000 in damages, grant him certification, restore his access to official tools and allow him to host sanctioned Pokemon events.

However, US District Judge Leonard Strand dismissed the case on September 1 after finding that Owens had failed to state a valid legal claim.

According to Iowa Capital Dispatch, Strand described the lawsuit as a “completely frivolous waste of the court’s time and resources.”

Judge calls $341K Pokemon claim “outright absurd”

Owens claimed he scored 100% on the Pokemon Professor exam in March 2024, but certification was still dependent on completing a background check.

The report submitted with his lawsuit listed three Pennsylvania charges from 2022, including disorderly conduct, an offense involving weapons, and criminal mischief. Each was marked as having a pending warrant issued for failure to appear.

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Owens argued that the charges did not represent convictions and accused Pokemon of changing its explanation for denying him. He also claimed the rejection cost him business opportunities connected to hosting official events.

Strand was unconvinced, calling the alleged $341,000 in damages “dubious, if not outright absurd.” The judge noted that Pokemon Professors are volunteers who receive benefits including swag, prizes, and points for the Professor Store.

The court also rejected Owens’ antitrust argument. Strand ruled that requiring background checks for volunteers involved with a product aimed partly at children was reasonable and did not harm competition.

His additional claims, which included breach of implied contract, promissory estoppel and interference with prospective business opportunities, were also dismissed.

The ruling revealed that Owens had filed four federal lawsuits within several months, all of which failed to establish valid claims. The judge warned that any further frivolous filings could result in financial sanctions, beginning with the standard civil filing fee and increasing if the behavior continued.

It has been an eventful year for Pokemon in court. The company is also facing a proposed class-action lawsuit involving a former executive accused of secretly filming people in bathrooms.

Meanwhile, in another unusual gaming case, a father recently sued Tencent and NetEase for just $1.50 after claiming his son became addicted to video games.