China Deepens Ban on Certain Content in Gaming: Gambling, Blood, Bodies and Zombies

[Raevenlord]

In a move that's certain to make forays into the Chinese gaming market (worth $30bn) for game developers and publishers, country regulators have launched a new wave requirements for game release approvals. Besides more and more information now being required to be submitted by developers for any game that they want to launch in China (which may include scripts, mechanisms to curb game addiction implemented into the code, and other).

While the Chinese gaming market is an extremely significant one, the previously existing (and now updated) regulations mandate that every single game be single-handedly inspected and curated before its approval into the Chinese domestic market. A freeze in the process of games approval that lasted for 8 months (from February 2018 through to December) has already created a backlog of thousands of games pending approval - not to mention all of those that have undoubtedly been submitted since. It's expected that fewer than 5,000 games will be greenlighted for launch this year, so a lot of companies will likely have to review their revenue forecast - depending on how heavily they banked on the Chinese market.



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[Vayra86]

Lovely. Clearly the Party doesnt like its new generations to grow up in the internet cafe.

This might very well be an economical policy. Avg wealth is going up, people have more opportunity for free time and gaming is clearly not preferred.

 

[brutlern]

Gambling? Fine. Blood? Ok. Green blood it is. Bodies? That's more difficult to pull off but I guess they could just dissapear. But Zombies? How do you remove zombies from a game about zombies?

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Lovely. Clearly the Party doesnt like its new generations to grow up in the internet cafe.

This might very well be an economical policy. Avg wealth is going up, people have more opportunity for free time and gaming is clearly not preferred.

Its more so that they can control the content that their citizens are viewing or have their publishers/developers come out with a similar game.... If they ban L4D then make their own and release it in china then its a win for them as they get to insert their propaganda into the game. Tencent would like to have a word.

 

[Ebo]

Gambling? Fine. Blood? Ok. Green blood it is. Bodies? That's more difficult to pull off but I guess they could just dissapear. But Zombies? How do you remove zombies from a game about zombies?

You will just have a big openworld to run arround in and say hello to the other 2 players

 

[Star_Hunter]

If only they would ban cheating in China

 

[Ahhzz]

They actually also have a restriction on how China is represented in the game (no games addressing China's imperial history) and developers have to produce scripts and materials beforehand. Read over this Monday night, I think... Content here:

Gambling? Fine. Blood? Ok. Green blood it is. Bodies? That's more difficult to pull off but I guess they could just dissapear. But Zombies? How do you remove zombies from a game about zombies?

Nope on the green blood. That's addressed as well. Can't just change the color, or call it sweat or tears...

 

[siluro818]

They actually also have a restriction on how China is represented in the game (no games addressing China's imperial history) and developers have to produce scripts and materials beforehand. Read over this Monday night, I think... Content here:




Nope on the green blood. That's addressed as well. Can't just change the color, or call it sweat or tears...

Lol it's actually "Decree No. 666" xD

 

[Vayra86]

Its more so that they can control the content that their citizens are viewing or have their publishers/developers come out with a similar game.... If they ban L4D then make their own and release it in china then its a win for them as they get to insert their propaganda into the game. Tencent would like to have a word.

Its interesting to see how that'll go. Historically in terms of entertainment we've been pretty good at exporting that and with that, our Western culture(s) but mostly the American one. We've also for some time thought China was getting 'more open' but in the end that applied mostly to trade... and only in limited ways subject to change. I wonder what'll happen to that when the country openly locks down our export of culture. Its becoming an increasingly bleak outlook to have any dealings in or with China.

They have been raising the new generations to have 1 goal and 1 goal only.

To try and take over the world!
Well, as soon as they get us out of the way.

They have been stealing US RND tech for 30 years.
And since the 90's we just sell them what they didn't steal yet.....

sorry off topic;

I read in an interview, some Chinese rich bloke in Canada said "You seem to forget that we've been a world empire for thousands of years. You've had your chance for 300 years, now its our turn again". I think the man speaks a truth we have a really hard time getting our heads around.

 

[Eskimonster]

well the chinese surely hates microtransactions by the look of it.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Gambling makes sense. Blood, Bodies and Zombies I think is the Communist Party's attempt to stop the public from getting ideas about revolution. Xi Jinping has been hellbent on policies towards that end.

 

[kastriot]

It would be better to ban eating everything on four legs except dining table.

 

[Vayra86]

It would be better to ban eating everything on four legs except dining table.

Gambling makes sense. Blood, Bodies and Zombies I think is the Communist Party's attempt to stop the public from getting ideas about revolution. Xi Jinping has been hellbent on policies towards that end.

Do you really think that is the level Xi is thinking at? I mean this as an honest question, I just cannot imagine the man is thát small. On the other hand, its not unlike the regime to be like this, tons of examples...

This world confuses me sometimes

 

[Bones]

I was looking at the opening post and noticed this part: "Which may include scripts, mechanisms to curb game addiction implemented into the code, and other".
Then saw how all had those goggles on and had the thought - That with all I'm seeing almost sounds like they are actually programming the population.
What made that tick was the last part as in "Other"right along with the term "Mechanisms"..... What is this other and by what mechanisms?

You can't deny there is already an effect they can introduce to discourage gaming or they woudn't be doing it.
Probrably because those maufacturing jobs won't run themselves, I mean it's a disaster if a few decide to take a day off once every 6 months you know because some higher ranking party member's kid that's a part of "Privilege" won't get their free stuff that day if a worker should lay out.

With all the craziness they do over there I woudn't doubt it if they are using "Stuff" to literally program people in how to think and believe.

 

[Vayra86]

I was looking at the opening post and noticed this part: "Which may include scripts, mechanisms to curb game addiction implemented into the code, and other".
Then saw how all had those goggles on and had the thought - That with all I'm seeing almost sounds like they are actually programming the population.
What made that tick was the last part as in "Other"right along with the term "Mechanisms"..... What is this other and by what mechanisms?

You can't deny there is already an effect they can introduce to discourage gaming because those maufacturing jobs won't run themselves. I mean it's a disaster if a few decide to take a day off once every 6 months you know because some higher ranking party member's kid that's a part of "Privilege" won't get their free stuff that day if they should lay out.

With all the craziness they do over there I woudn't doubt it if they are using "Stuff" to literally program people in how to think and believe.

You are aware of the amount of Big Brother that society has right now? And of this ? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Credit_System

Programming happens quite like that. And make no mistake, our society has a very light form of that, but we like to call it being a responsible citizen. It has a positive side, but always casts a nasty shadow as well. A herd mentality, if you will.

Its funny, that Wiki article also references two other countries, that, not coincidentally also have some historical roots in the need for control.

 

[Bones]

Already aware of that, China just takes it to a different level most of us would never go to.

 

[Vayra86]

Already aware of that, China just takes it to a different level most of us would never go to.

You say that, but...

Here's an example straight from the progressive Dutch. This is ongoing as we speak.

https://www.privacyfirst.eu/court-c...h-government-for-risk-profiling-citizens.html

 

[Paganstomp]

like the Bohemian Rhapsody given 'sexphobic' edit for China...

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Do you really think that is the level Xi is thinking at? I mean this as an honest question, I just cannot imagine the man is thát small. On the other hand, its not unlike the regime to be like this, tons of examples...

Yes, Jinping has already squashed one rebellion and this is an effort to prevent them from happening in the well-to-do parts of China. Under Jinping, China is rapidly becoming a totalitarian state. Reuters did an expose a few days ago and there was a naval parade yesterday. What's more, China is spreading its regime globally through the Belt and Road Initiative.

TL;DR: this news should surprise no one. Well, Zombies can. The rest not so much.

 

[Renald]

First of all : I think it's stupid idea, but, because there is one "but", and I will take the place of the devil :


I think it's quite easy for us to criticize China.

Have you tried to rule a country of more than a billion person, mostly in 10M+ cities, with around 2000 years of existence and still holding the place ?
Before, it was done by blood. Now it's by shutting them down as puppets.

US citizens can't understand, and by far, why it's so complicated. It's a 300 y/o country, made by war, driven by war, and still doing it. Remember who made you : Europeans (sorry to "real American people", Amerindians)
Even in Europe we are only a thousand years old (not considering "old empires" as countries), and still we didn't reach more than 350M in whole Europe.

Now look at two other example, closer by distance, age, and similarities :
- Japan : very populated, quite a democracy in it's way, but social pressure is so hard that government is worried about people staying home in fear of contact with society ==>Well done
- India : more than a billion by far, there's just no rules there. Corruption and internal wars are still raging locally (religion, rape, vengeance, money, drugs), despite the good looking face. Many Indian don't even know how to read. ==>Hey, nicely done too

Seriously, any country with population that big (I can add Brazil), have big problems. Each one have a different solution.
And I think there's a lot of US citizens (320M) : you can't have a week without a shooting, and you're were/are spying on the whole population ; it's like Minority Report (the movie), how is that really different ?

Someone wiser than me said :
In a dictatorship, it's "shut up".
In a democracy, it's "speak, I don't care"
==>In any case, you doesn't matter


I think we don't imagine what this world could be if China was at our level of development and "liberty" : they would crush the world in a decade. It's easy to point at people when you don't have their problems.

 

[NC37]

Inspecting everything...

Watch in a year they change the policy and all the games they "inspected" have surprise Chinese knockoffs. Ridiculous that companies continue to do business with China when the government itself is the greatest culprit of IP theft.

 

[Mistral]

If only they would ban cheating in China

That is culturally acceptable there, so why would they?

 

[trog100]

i have been playing Division 2 for a couple of weeks so far i have killed 2600 enemies with 4500 head shots.. before that it was Far cry new dawn add in a few more thousand for that and far cry 5 before that..

i am pretty good at killing things on my PC screen.. pretty good practice for the real thing if circumstance ever changed.. maybe the Chinese aint that daft after all..

trog

 

[Bones]

You say that, but...

Here's an example straight from the progressive Dutch. This is ongoing as we speak.

https://www.privacyfirst.eu/court-c...h-government-for-risk-profiling-citizens.html

Didn't know about that one......

This is something I've long suspected was being done in many places all over to various extents under the guise of various reasons (Excuses) to have and justify it all and it won't get any better from here.

 

[NightOfChrist]

The article could use more information. Here's the detailed report from Niko Partners regarding the approval and regulation system.

That is culturally acceptable there, so why would they?

It's not culturally acceptable. It's their culture and tradition.

Us Japanese gamers and Korean gamers share a common opinion about it: Chinese gamers suck.
If it's Japanese game and Korean gamers use VPN and play it, it's fine for us.
If it's Korean game and Japanese gamers use VPN and play it, it's cool for the Koreans.
If it's Japanese or Korean game and we see Chinese gamers, obviously they're using VPN and we'll report them immediately for ban.
It's only a matter of time before they cheat, hack and eventually lie about it.

Gambling makes sense. Blood, Bodies and Zombies I think is the Communist Party's attempt to stop the public from getting ideas about revolution. Xi Jinping has been hellbent on policies towards that end.

No, not about revolution. It's something about their culture and tradition. The Chinese honor their dead. I'm not going to explain everything here but there are reasons why they pray and give offerings to their dead. Many of them see corpse or zombies as disrespectful towards the dead.
Although the Chinese are also notoriously known for their hypocrisy. They have yet to ban BIOHAZARD/Resident Evil or the reboot Tomb Raider (the first of the trilogy has Lara swim in a river of blood, the third has corpse in many open areas).