China Changes Rules on Game Approvals
China’s press and publication regulator has issued new rules on applications for publishing online games in China.
China stopped granting licenses to monetize online games in March 2018, hurting the industry and developers such as Tencent Holdings Ltd and NetEase Inc. It started up approvals again in December, only to ask local governments to pause on submitting applications in February.
Under the new guidelines releaed by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, games will undergo content vetting and the number of games allowed on to the market will be controlled.
Chinese gaming publishers were being encouraged to develop titles with China’s “core social values” in mind, including games that promote traditional culture.