When “Mobile Legends: 5v5 MOBA” was released, it quickly captured the hearts of players who love such genre. It really is a compelling game to play, considering the platform it uses. Developer Shanghai Moontoon Technology is definitely riding on its success.

Unfortunately, the developer of “League of Legends” Riot Games slapped the aforementioned studio with copyrights infringement involving “Mobile Legends: 5v5 MOBA” and two other titles. With the ongoing lawsuit, the fate of the titular mobile game is at risk. This might just be the end of its legacy.

Where it all started

According to Slingshot Esports, the lawsuit was filed last Thursday in the Central District Court of California. It states that Riot Games’ argument is based on Shanghai Moontoon Technology’s use of intellectual properties that infringed the copyrights of “League of Legends.” The 42-page document points on three mobile games, with the two being “Magic Rush: Heroes” and “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.” The said titles have “directly and deliberately” appropriated elements from “LoL,” including but not limited to units, characters, artworks, and monster and map designs.

Riot Games also pointed out that they have contacted the “Mobile Legends: 5v5 MOBA” developer prior to the filing of the lawsuit.

Google Play store also received a notification from the studio, asking to remove the mobile games in question from the listing. However, without any prior notice to either Google Play store and Riot Games, Shanghai Moontoon Technology re-uploaded the game under a new name, which is “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.”

Shanghai Moontoon Technology releases official statement

The news about “Mobile Legends: 5v5 MOBA” getting sued was quickly picked up by a different online news outlet.

Fans of the game were in deep shock and thus resorted to pinging the studio. Fortunately, the company decided to release an official statement via the game’s official page. The developer claims that the game, in one way or another, was developed by them independently. They even made sure that its copyright has been duly “registered and protected” in various countries all over the world.

The studio assures the fans of “Mobile Legends:” 5v5 MOBA” that the news circulating is simply nothing and “unreal.” Interestingly, the statements do not explicitly mention Riot’s lawsuit, let alone denying the claims of the “League of Legends” developer. Instead, Shanghai Moontoon Technology would pursue legal actions against “media and competitors” who helped spread “unreal information.” Obviously, there is more to what the mobile game developer said on Facebook. Riot Games, on the other hand, has iterated its interest in pursuing the case, with hopes to take down one of the biggest mobile game developers in the industry.