China’s press and publications authority has given the green light to 105 new online games, expressing full support for the industry following massive losses by game makers after the restrictions
The National Press and Publication Administration released a statement on its WeChat social media account on Monday, emphasizing that the approvals, sanctioned by the Game Working Committee of China Music and Digital Association, convey positive signals fostering the prosperity and healthy growth of the online gaming sector.
Among the approved games are Tencent’s “Counter War: Future” and NetEase’s “Firefly Assault.”
The administration’s guidelines include a ban on online games offering incentives for daily log-ins or purchases, restrictions on user recharge limits, and warnings for “irrational consumption behavior.”
In 2023, the Press and Publication Administration reported issuing 1,075 game version numbers, with 977 being domestically produced and 98 imported. Referring to the “2023 China Game Industry Report,” the administration highlighted that sales revenue in the domestic online games market exceeded 300 billion yuan ($42 billion) in 2023, with a player base reaching 668 million.
China has implemented various measures against the online gaming sector in recent years, including a 2021 regulation limiting children’s gaming time to just three hours per week to address concerns about video game addiction.
