The Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court has mandated that Royal Never Give-Up (RNG) and its founder Yao “Baixing” Jincheng pay ¥162,118,224 RMB ($22.5 million USD) to an unnamed plaintiff, executing the order on June 18 according to public records reviewed by The Esports Advocate on Tianyancha—under the case number (2025) 沪01执1816号.
Although the ruling does not specify the nature of the lawsuit, it represents the first in a series of at least 10 pending legal disputes against the organization—spanning alleged back pay, contract violations, and loan defaults. Insiders suggested to The Esports Advocate that total claims might exceed ¥1 billion ($140 million), indicating this payment may merely crack the surface.
RNG, operating under Shanghai Jing Xin Cheng Feng Media Co., Ltd. (上海竞心承峰传媒有限公司), was founded in 2018. Its founder, Yao Jincheng, owns 59.73% of the company and is its principal controller. The team currently competes in the League of Legends Pro League (LPL), and according to a livestream by former pro Kim “Doinb” Tae-sang on June 20, several entities have already offered to acquire its LPL franchise.
Once a dominant force in Chinese esports—home to icon Jian “Uzi” Zihao and victor of the 2018, 2021, and 2022 Mid-Season Invitational—RNG boasted a premier home venue in Beijing’s Wukesong district and was considered China’s most commercially valuable esports organization in 2019. It attracted over 11 sponsors, including non-endemic brands such as KFC, Mercedes-Benz, LYNX, Dongpeng Drinks, Doritos, Yili, and Hongmo, plus endemic partners Logitech, HP, DouYu, AutoFull, and iGAME. Its star player Uzi also became the first and only esports athlete to sign with Nike.
As of publication, the court’s full ruling has not been made public, and the identity of the plaintiff remains undisclosed. The court listed RNG as a “judgment debtor” (被执行人), requiring it to pay the full amount.