Longan
Recently, the Yanshang Team of Beijing Longan (Guangzhou) Law Firm successfully represented Tencent in a case involving the disclosure of game skins for “Heping Elite”. The court accepted the attorney’s claim for punitive damages in this case, fully supporting Tencent’s request for 1 million yuan in compensation, as well as all other claims. This judgment has now taken effect.
Case Details
“Heping Elite” is a well-known shooting game owned by Tencent. It has a large user base and high commercial value. The design of the game’s skins is crucial for its operation, as it attracts players through continuous updates. Protecting the confidentiality of these skin designs is essential.
It was found that since January 2022, the defendant, Li Moumou (Little Fatty’s commentator), used third-party tools to break into the client’s system and alter data. As a result, he obtained unpublished game design details of “Heping Elite”. He also posted several videos on his Douyin, Kuaishou, and REDnote accounts to gain traffic and make illegal profits. These actions seriously damaged Tencent’s rights. In October 2024, Tencent filed a lawsuit against the Shenzhen Baoan District People’s Court, demanding that the defendant stop the infringement, apologize, and pay 1 million yuan in compensation. Tencent also claimed punitive damages.
The Shenzhen Baoan District People’s Court recently ruled that the unpublished game skin designs of “Heping Elite” are trade secrets. The defendant’s actions of obtaining and disclosing these secrets constitute infringement. The court agreed with Tencent’s request for double punitive damages, ordering the defendant to pay 1 million yuan. Considering the impact of the defendant’s actions on Tencent’s reputation, the court also allowed Tencent to request an apology. The judgment has now taken effect, and the official accounts of “Heping Elite” on various platforms have also announced the details of the case.
Representative Process
After receiving the case, the team analyzed the legal issues involved in this case based on their experience in handling other trade secret cases and ongoing research in this field. After discussing with the client, they reached an agreement on how to handle the case.
During the handling of the case, the team collected a large amount of evidence and created tables to analyze the issues thoroughly. They also prepared multiple comparison tables. Regarding damages, the team proposed five ways to calculate compensation and claimed punitive damages, demonstrating the rationality of their claims.
In the end, the court agreed with all of Tencent’s claims. This success is due to the team’s long-term research and practical experience, as well as the client’s evidence, especially the sufficient evidence related to the elements of trade secrets. This victory also shows the high level of trust and cooperation between the team and the client.
Significance of the Case
This judgment serves as a warning to other bloggers who disclose game content. It helps reduce infringement from the beginning.
In addition to this case, the team has represented clients in several cases related to “Heping Elite”. One of these cases involved protecting keyboard and mouse accessories. This is the first effective judgment related to protecting keyboard and mouse accessories. The case also resulted in a million-dollar compensation and was listed as a typical case. This victory shows Tencent’s commitment to protecting the game’s environment.
Trade secret litigation is one of the areas where Yanshang Law Team has specialized for many years. In recent years, they have represented clients in dozens of cases involving technical and business secrets, as well as compliance issues related to trade secrets. These cases involve various industries such as online games, chemical engineering, semiconductors, communication, high-end manufacturing, and the internet. Many of these cases have been recognized as national or typical cases.
The team’s extensive experience in trade secret and gaming cases allows them to communicate deeply with game companies and analyze the game from a technical perspective. They also provide professional and industry-specific legal advice. By trying different roles in different cases, the team can approach the case from multiple perspectives and provide comprehensive strategies. With the client’s trust and support, it is hoped that more classic cases will be created in the future.
The Longan Guangzhou Yanshang Team has achieved great results in cases involving the disclosure of game skins. In the future, they will continue to focus on trade secret litigation, adhering to the principle of “professionalism and service”. They will provide strong support for clients in protecting their intellectual property rights, helping to maintain a fair market environment and promote healthy industry development.