Game leaks just became a criminal risk, not a fandom game
The first criminal conviction against game leakers under updated intellectual property rules shows that sharing unreleased footage from popular titles has shifted from a tolerated grey area of fandom into a clearly punishable offense, redefining the risks for content creators, data miners, and anyone chasing clout through early game spoilers.
Two users of video platform Bilibili have been found guilty in a first-instance trial for distributing unreleased content from Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero without permission. Investigations showed that since July last year they repeatedly posted unannounced characters, skill animations, and gameplay footage, feeding the constant demand for Genshin Impact leaks and related early looks at upcoming updates. This was not resolved through quiet copyright takedowns or account bans; instead, prosecutors treated the uploads as criminal copyright infringement. That escalation is the real headline: game leakers convicted in criminal court, not just warned in emails, signals a deliberate shift in how game IP protection is enforced.
From 900,000 views to criminal court: when clout crosses the line
The harsh lesson in this case is that scale now matters more than profit. Su’s uploads of unreleased footage amassed over 600,000 views, while Wu’s topped 300,000. Combined, the leaked videos pulled in around 900,000 views, turning what might once have been considered minor spoiler content into a high-impact breach that authorities treated as a public example of game IP protection in action.
Under the updated judicial interpretation on intellectual property, distributing copyrighted material online can qualify for criminal prosecution once it passes 100,000 clicks, even if earnings are below traditional financial thresholds. Both uploaders easily crossed that bar, making their Genshin Impact leaks and related uploads a textbook case for prosecutors. As one key takeaway from this ruling: "Views pushed the leaks into criminal territory". That directly targets the attention economy around leaks, where the reward has always been visibility rather than money.
miHoYo’s criminal move: a new template for game IP protection
miHoYo did not settle for quiet enforcement. Its legal team publicly announced that the two Bilibili users had been convicted of copyright infringement by a district court, in what it describes as the first criminal conviction for game leaks under the new judicial interpretation. This is miHoYo legal action as deterrent, not mere damage control.
The court handed Su a one year and two months prison sentence and Wu a one year sentence, both suspended. Even with suspended prison sentences, the message is clear: courts are willing to treat unauthorized disclosure of unreleased material from games like Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero as serious copyright crime, not fan mischief. miHoYo framed leaks as an issue of player experience as well as law, arguing that disclosing unfinished content without permission “robs players of the anticipation they deserve” and vowing to continue pursuing legal action against unauthorized leaks.
What this means for creators, streamers, and leak-hungry communities
For content creators and streamers, the line they thought they understood has moved. Game leaks used to trigger copyright strikes, bans, and stern legal letters; now, in some cases, they can trigger a criminal file instead of a DMCA form. The updated rules are designed not only to stop people earning money from leaks, but also to curb those chasing fame and clicks from being first with unreleased content.
The convictions sit within a wider pattern. miHoYo has already taken action against more than 200 people accused of improperly obtaining or sharing unreleased content and intends to continue pursuing those responsible for distributing it. Meanwhile, police previously described a larger investigation involving three suspects and more than 13 million views across platforms, and the latest ruling addresses only the two Bilibili uploaders, leaving the alleged original source still unresolved. For gaming communities, the implication is blunt: treating leak culture as harmless hype is now out of step with how rights holders and courts see it.
A new era: spoilers are now a legal liability
This case should end the idea that leak channels exist in a safe grey zone. When game leakers are convicted in criminal court for distributing unreleased footage and face suspended prison sentences, the risk profile for anyone handling non-public builds changes overnight.
miHoYo’s win is less about punishing two Bilibili users and more about setting a precedent: views and reach can turn a spoiler into a crime scene. The company has made clear it will keep pursuing legal action against unauthorized leaks, and the law now backs that stance with criminal thresholds based on clicks, not cash. In this new landscape, responsible creators will need to treat unreleased material as toxic to touch without clear permission. The age of casual leak-chasing for attention is over; the next age is about consent, contracts, and respect for game IP protection.
