November 7, 2019

Andrew Campbell 

Regarded as official recognition, the World Health Organization (WHO) in April of 2018 has classified video gaming addiction as the disorder, namely “gaming disorder”, in the mental health condition. A video game addict is often defined as someone with an inability to stop playing even though gaming disorder interferes with other important matters in life.

China President Xi Jinping has expressed serious concern in the vastly growing number of near-sighted children under the bad influence of video gaming. For years China has repeatedly denounced video games for minors. China’s government initiated a gaming regulator in 2018 by limiting the release of new online games, restricting playing time, and acquiring an age-restriction system. China even halted on approvals for new video games for 9 months as well.

China has become one of the world's largest gaming markets, currently ranked No. 2 next to the US. On November 5, China’s government has released the official guidelines to impose a curfew on online gaming for minors. There are the following directives specified in the government guidelines:

(1)a ban on online video games for minors between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.;

(2)minors are restricted to 90 minutes of game time on weekdays except for 3 hours on weekends and holidays;

(3)online microtransaction in gaming accounts for 8 to 16 years old can purchase RMB200 (US$29) per month, and 16 to 18 years old up to RMB400 (US$58);

(4)everyone, regardless of age, is prohibited from playing games depicting sexual explicitness, goriness, violence, and gambling;

(5)everyone is obliged to register accounts for online games under the real name and phone number to prove age and identity;

(6)if any gaming company fails to comply with the legislation would have its license revoked.

The State Administration of Press and Publication and the Ministry of Public Security are working on a national database of unified identification system across video gaming platforms to accurately verify the identity of minors and restrict the total gaming time. China is, by all means, aiming to prevent minors from indulging in online games.

Photo:Webshot.