Iowa man sues Nintendo after being denied ‘Pokémon Professor’ status
KCRG • • technology
Key Points:
- Kyle Owens, an Iowa man, is suing Nintendo of America and Pokémon Company International for allegedly refusing to grant him "Pokémon Professor" status, claiming violations of the Sherman Act in federal court.
- Owens seeks $341,000 in damages, Pokémon Professor certification, restoration of access to official tools, and permission to host Pokémon events.
- Owens passed the initial Pokémon Professor exam with a perfect score but was denied certification after a background check revealed a pending arrest warrant related to misdemeanor charges from 2022.
- The lawsuit alleges inconsistent reasons for denial, initially citing an old felony and later misdemeanor charges without guilty findings, and claims the denial harms competition and consumer access to official Pokémon events.
- The defendants have not yet responded to the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.