After a nine-month hiatus, Beijing issued new video game licenses for 45 games. The new approvals were released by the China National Press and Broadcasting Administration (NPPA) on Monday. The newly confirmed games include video game makers Lilith Games, Baidu, XD, and Seasun Entertainment, but interestingly, Chinese game giants NetEase or Tencent are not on this list.
China uniquely requires its publishers to obtain regulatory approval for video games before they are released. The NPPA abruptly stopped approval in July 2021, and no new games have been released since. Before this pause, 80 to 100 video games were being approved per month. The last group, published in July, contained 87 games.
This sudden pause did not come as a pleasant surprise for publishers like Tencent, which had big game brands with cash flow at home and abroad, but suddenly lost the chance to release new games in their home country. The impact on small developers was even more severe, with around 14,000 people reported to be out of work between July and December 2021.
China’s stance on games has long been subject to massive scrutiny and scrutiny, banning the sale of consoles from 2000 to 2015, requiring players to play games with their real names, and requiring them to register to play games labeled “spiritual opium” last year. contains the control network. In addition, the weekly playing time of underage players is limited to only three hours.
It’s unclear why Beijing continues to approve games, but the Chinese government has often reiterated that it wants a healthy tech industry that creates a respectful and civilized online environment.
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