miHoYo Secures Landmark Conviction Against Game Leakers

miHoYo has successfully secured what is being called the first criminal conviction in China related to leaking video game content. The legal action targeted two individuals who shared unreleased footage from Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero on the Bilibili platform. The court found both defendants guilty of copyright infringement during the first trial held on April 24.

Following the verdict, the court handed down one year suspended prison sentences to both individuals. This case marks a significant shift in how intellectual property is protected within the gaming industry in China, as it uses recently updated judicial guidelines to treat leaks as a criminal offense rather than just a civil matter.

For fans, this news highlights how seriously developers take the protection of their upcoming projects. By pursuing criminal charges instead of just site takedowns, miHoYo is sending a clear message to those who share internal data early. We can likely expect stricter enforcement regarding spoilers and leaked content across all of their major titles moving forward.