The United States District Court Of California has dismissed Riot Games’ lawsuit against Mobile Legends developer and publisher MOONTON by ruling that the dispute between the two companies should be resolved in China.

The reason for this is because the court found that the dispute could adequately be heard in China and that Riot Games’ parent company, China-based Tencent, refused to join the case and provide crucial information. The ruling to dismiss the case was granted by the court after MOONTON filed for a forum non conveniens motion, which is to request to have the case moved to a more appropriate court.

The court ruling states:

“The question is whether circumstances have truly changed from those that existed in 2017 or whether Riot simply seeks a second bite at the apple, unhappy with the progress (or lack thereof) in the still on-going, parallel China litigation. The Court deems the latter to be the case.”

Ajay Krishnan, a partner at Moonton’s legal firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters, said:

“For years, the parties have been litigating highly related copyright claims in China that raise many of the same issues that Riot is now trying to re-raise in the US. It would have been duplicative, inefficient, and wholly unfair to proceed with this case in the U.S., where Moonton would lack access to key evidence and witnesses.”

In an email to PC Gamer, a Riot Games representative said:

“We strongly disagree with the court’s decision and especially its worrying conclusion that China is an ‘adequate alternative forum’ for a US company to pursue its claims of copyright infringement that occurred in the US. The idea of having US citizens apply for M5 visas to fly overseas in order to ask a Chinese court for relief concerning works that were both created and infringed in the US—defies common sense. On top of that, Moonton’s knock-off game isn’t even available in China. We are exploring all possible options, including an appeal.”