The terror of the leakers
miHoYo won $5 million in Genshin Impact lawsuits. If you’ve ever struggled to pull a five-star character, spare a thought for those who crossed the legal department. Compared to that gauntlet, the gacha rates look almost generous.
The Shanghai developer’s 2025 annual report reveals a remarkable figure: $5.38 million in damages from leakers, cheat distributors, and private server operators. That’s roughly 37 million yuan—IP enforcement has quietly become a revenue stream.
The numbers don’t lie
The particulars make for grim reading if you run a leaks account:
- 22 criminal investigations with Chinese law enforcement
- 2,388 individuals targeted in civil actions
- 100,000+ player reports helped round up 1,240 offenders
- Those caught were compelled to issue public apologies
Three administrators from HomDGCat, a prominent datamining hub, were arrested. A blogger received a $70,000 fine. Someone identified as LiuVanXXX received a custodial sentence for profiting from leaked material.
The message appears unambiguous—there are consequences, and they’re getting steeper.
Organised crime, organised response
It wasn’t merely the Twitter grapevine feeling the squeeze. MiHoYo helped dismantle a Yangzhou-based operation that siphoned stole personal data from 10 million players to peddle accounts. Twenty-five individuals were arrested.
On the cheat front:
- Raindrop Studio ordered to pay $380,000
- 503 sellers of similar programmes shuttered
The unspoken pattern
What’s interesting isn’t the enforcement itself—companies protect their IP all the time. It’s the scale and the increasingly public nature of the repercussions.
A decade ago, a leaker might expect a stern letter and a temporary ban. Now we’re seeing criminal investigations, five-figure fines, and visible apologies. The economics of leaking have shifted dramatically.
Will the community’s hunger for early reveals ever subside, or has the whole ecosystem become too lucrative to disassemble?
And if other developers follow miHoYo’s lead, might we see a fundamental shift in how the industry handles its unofficial channels—or simply a more elaborate game of cat and mouse?
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