Ex-employees of Genshin Impact Developer sentenced to prison

Genshin Impact developer miHoYo has confirmed that four former employees have been sentenced to prison for bribery and corruption. Since its release in 2020 Genshin Impact has seen a significant rise in popularity and is probably miHoYo's most recognized work. Because of this, the game has not been exempt from legal disputes, but miHoYo is known for its determination to deal with any fraudulent activity that could potentially damage its IPs or business.

Otherwise known as the HoYoverse, miHoYo has created some of the most notable games in the gacha genre, including Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Railand Zenless Zone Zero. The developer has no plans to slow down anytime soon, with new titles such as Honkai: Nexus Anima and Varsapura already working. Earlier in 2025, miHoYo even revealed its plans to work on Genshin Impact for at least ten years or more. However, the company recently revealed that not all employees were working in the best interest of the company.

genshin impact vark version 6.4 overview what to expect

Genshin Impact reveals everything you need to know about Varca

With its beta testing coming to an end, Genshin Impact players can get a detailed look at what to expect from Varka as Anemo DPS in 6.4.

Why four former MiHoYo employees were sentenced to prison

Through a translated official statement on February 6 on WeChat, miHoYo confirmed that four former employees were sentenced to prison terms following an internal investigation. According to the statement, the members abused their powers and demanded bribes from partner companies for illegal profits. After being tried, they were found guilty of “accepting bribes as non-state workers” and sentenced to prison terms. One former employee was sentenced to one year and four months, two to one year and three months, and the last was sentenced to six months in prison. The Genshin Impact the developer has renewed its zero tolerance for bribery and embezzlement to promote a fair business environment.

MiHoYo also mentioned a fifth former member Genshin Impact a marketing team that abused its power to “seek benefits for its own company”. The developer has shared all of its findings with authorities for further investigation and has also blacklisted the worker from local anti-fraud alliances, which “permanently bans him from employment.” Finally, miHoYo shared a long blacklist of former allied companies that were involved in bribery. This is not the first time that HoYovere has fought fraudulent activities with an iron fist. Shortly after its release some Genshin Impact the creators were sent to jail after miHoYo discovered they were sharing cheats.

HoYovers is no stranger to illegal activities surrounding its IP addresses. The company once filed a lawsuit against one of them Genshin Impact the community's most famous leakers, UBatcha, and their large Discord server. MiHoYo's publisher, Cognosphere, has also been heavily protective of its other games in the past. In 2025, Honkai: Star Rail The team sued the players for $150,000 after they shared an unreleased game of the 5-star character Castorica. Sometimes leakers manage to get inside information through employees working on specific games, but tracking down the culprit can be difficult for developers. Regardless, HoYovere appears to remain committed to continuing to protect its IP addresses from fraudulent activity.

Click or tap the games that match the category

On the other hand, some HoYoverse titles have been quite busy in recent months. For example, Honkai: Star Rail surprised many players sa Fortnite collaboration for February 2026. The crossover will feature Kafka and Blade skins and could be one of HoYoverse's biggest yet. Meantime, Genshin ImpactThe ongoing Luna IV update recently launched its Lantern Rite, one of the most anticipated annual events. The game's current Nod-Krai story is far from over, and the next patch is expected later this month. There are rumors that Genshin ImpactAdditional character banners could bring back the popular Skirk and Flins alongside Varca's debut. Players will be able to learn more about the update during the next official live stream, which is set for February 16.