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Bandai has risen to become Japan’s leading patent holder in the gaming and entertainment sector, according to new data from Patent Result, a Japanese patent analysis agency.
The annual ranking, which covers patents registered and active between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, places Bandai at the top, followed by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) in second place and mobile game developer Gree in third. This marks a shift from the previous year’s results, where SIE and Gree held the top two positions ahead of Bandai. All three companies maintained their presence in the top tier, though their order changed.
Patent Result’s ranking system goes beyond simple patent counts. The agency uses a “Patent Score” system that evaluates the relevance and strength of each patent. This score considers factors like how often a patent is cited when rejecting other companies’ patent applications, and how frequently competitors try to challenge or restrain the patent holder.
| Colour | Type | Name | Effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red | Power | Fire+ Gene XL | Greatly boosts fire attack. |
| Blue | Power | Water+ Gene XL | Greatly boosts water attack. |
| Cyan | Power | Ice+ Gene XL | Greatly boosts ice attack. |
| Yellow | Power | Thunder+ Gene XL | Greatly boosts thunder attack. |
| Purple | Power | Dragon+ Gene XL | Greatly boosts dragon attack. |
| White | Power | Might Gene XL | Greatly boosts non elemental attack. |
| White | Salt in Wound XL | Increases damage done to enemies with abnormal statuses by a good amount. | |
| Blue | Speed | Dancer XL | Increases Speed when at full HP. Also greatly boosts attack and defense. |
| Blue | Technical | Fortify XL | Boosts abilities when you lose a Heart. Greatly boosts attack and defense. |
| Red | Power | Heroic XL | Greatly boosts attack at 50% HP or less. |
| Company | Patent Score | Number of Patents |
| Bandai | 8,565.2 | 245 |
| Sony Interactive Entertainment | 6,631.0 | 208 |
| Gree | 5,121.9 | 176 |
| COLOPL | 4,978.0 | 137 |
| MIXI | 4,664.8 | 241 |
| Nintendo | 4,210.8 | 154 |
| Cygames | 3,633.3 | 76 |
| Sega | 2,763.2 | 87 |
| The Pokémon Company | 2,377.3 | 66 |
| Bandai Namco Amusement | 2,021.6 | 20 |
Gaming giants Sega and Nintendo, which has recently been involved in patent-related discussions, both ranked lower than mobile developers Colopl and Mixi this year.
According to Patent Result, Bandai’s strongest patents relate to its toy business operations. SIE’s notable patents include technology for display systems that can generate virtual objects appearing in real time, and devices that automatically suggest sound effects for videos or computer simulations based on specific characteristics.
Gree’s significant patents focus on streaming technology, including programs that control streamer actions based on viewer engagement and systems using collectible in-game items to boost viewer interest during video content. Colopl’s standout patent involves a multiplayer game system designed to create connections between streamers and viewers during gameplay.
