- Primary Subject: Nintendo / The Pokémon Company
- Key Update: An Iowa man is suing after claiming his perfect Pokémon Professor exam score was revoked following a background check
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: May 20, 2026
- Quick Answer: A 34-year-old Iowa man is suing Nintendo and The Pokémon Company after allegedly scoring 100% on the official Pokémon Professor exam before being denied certification during a background check.
Nintendo and The Pokémon Company International are currently dealing with one of the strangest lawsuits to emerge from the gaming world this year after an Iowa man claimed his perfect score on the official Pokémon Professor exam was effectively taken away following a background check.
The bizarre legal battle quickly spread across social media because of how absurd the headline sounds at first glance, but the actual case is much more complicated than “man sues Nintendo over Pokémon title.”
The lawsuit was filed by 34-year-old Kyle Owens in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.
Owens is suing both Nintendo of America and The Pokémon Company International, accusing them of violating federal antitrust laws connected to the Pokémon Professor certification system.
According to the lawsuit, Owens is seeking roughly $341,000 in damages, restoration of his certification status, access to official Pokémon event-management tools, and the ability to organize sanctioned Pokémon tournaments and activities.
What Even Is a Pokémon Professor?
While many people online initially treated the situation like a joke, the Pokémon Professor program is actually a legitimate certification system tied to Play! Pokémon’s organized competitive scene.
Certified Professors are allowed to help organize official card game tournaments, manage events, judge matches, and gain access to Pokémon’s official tournament ecosystem.
The role also comes with access to organizer resources and event listings that can help attract players and customers to local gaming stores or tournament venues.
Owens argues in the lawsuit that the certification is not simply a fan achievement or honorary title, but something with genuine commercial and business value.
According to court filings, Owens was allegedly informed on March 12, 2024 that he had successfully passed the Pokémon Professor exam with a perfect 100% score.
The documents reportedly show that he received a congratulatory message welcoming him toward becoming an official Pokémon Professor, although the approval process still required a background check before certification could be finalized.
Why Was the Application Suddenly Denied?
The situation reportedly fell apart during the background check after investigators allegedly uncovered an outstanding arrest warrant from another state dating back to 2022.
The warrant was reportedly connected to Owens failing to appear in court over several misdemeanor-related charges, including disorderly conduct involving fighting, criminal mischief related to property damage, and allegations tied to possessing or repairing an offensive weapon.
After the background screening process was completed, The Pokémon Company International informed Owens on May 6, 2024 that his application had been denied.
One of the more unusual details of the lawsuit is Owens’ claim that the company later revised his supposed exam score.
According to the filings, he alleges that after originally being told he earned a perfect score, the company later informed him he had actually scored only 80%, meaning he no longer qualified for Pokémon Professor status.
Owens argues this inconsistency is evidence that the reasoning behind his rejection kept changing throughout the process.
The lawsuit claims Owens initially believed he was denied because of an older felony conviction from more than a decade ago.
However, he later argued the explanation shifted toward the unresolved misdemeanor charges connected to the outstanding warrant.
Owens maintains that the charges referenced in the background check did not result in guilty findings and argues the denial unfairly blocked him from participating in Pokémon’s organized tournament network.
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