How should the ownership of online game accounts, virtual equipment, and game currency, which are all virtual assets, be determined? Can the relatives of users inherit them after their death? Recently, the Shijingshan District People’s Court in Beijing concluded a dispute case involving the inheritance of online game accounts. A mother who lost her only son filed a lawsuit to inherit the 87 game accounts her son registered during his life, in order to supplement her livelihood. After trial, the court determined that online game accounts fall under the category of virtual property. According to the user agreement, the court found that users have the right to use the involved game accounts, and this right—with a focus on property interests—is inheritable. The court ultimately ordered the game company to assist in changing the real-name authentication information.
Chen's son, Gu, had been obsessed with online games since his early twenties. He had no formal job and spent years gaming at home. Over more than a decade, he successively registered 87 real-name accounts with a certain game company, boosting the level and in-game gains of these accounts through various means and building each account into one of considerable "value."
In May 2025, 36-year-old Gu unfortunately passed away from a major illness. Gu’s father had died long ago, leaving Chen as the only family member, struggling to get by on a meager income.
After handling her son’s funeral affairs, Chen heard by chance that game accounts could potentially be turned into cash. She remembered how her son had invested a great deal of time and money in his gaming accounts, so she approached the game company hoping to transfer ownership of her son’s 87 accounts into her own name, planning to sell them for some extra income. However, for various reasons, the game company did not agree to Chen’s request directly.
With no other options, Chen took the game company to Shijingshan District People’s Court in Beijing.
In court, Chen’s claim was clear: She requested that the game company cooperate in letting her inherit her son’s 87 game accounts and transfer the accounts' real-name authentication information to herself. The game company responded that the user agreement signed by both parties stipulated that the ownership of game accounts and in-account virtual items belonged to the game company, and users merely hold a limited right of use. Moreover, they argued that accounts are personal in nature and should not be considered inheritable property.
During the trial, Gu's daughter by his ex-wife, Shi, submitted a written statement through her legal guardian, voluntarily waiving her right to inherit the involved game accounts.