Why is gaming illegal in China?

One of the main aims of China's gaming regulations is to prevent minors (under 18s) from being addicted to games.

Why does China have gaming restrictions?

For years, Chinese authorities have sought to control how much time kids can spend playing games online, to fight “internet addiction.” They've claimed success in curbing the problem but are taking no chances.

Why China banned video games?

Mainland China. A very large number of video games are banned in mainland China. Games that depict drugs, sexuality, blood, organized crime or defamation of the Chinese government are almost always banned.

How is China restricting gaming?

Most notably, in September 2021, China banned under-18s from playing games for more than three hours a week, a rule that has forced Tencent and its peers to give up targeting youth gamers. Tencent said in November the total time under-18s spent on its games had plunged 92%.

How long can Chinese kids play video games?

The restrictions limit children to just three hours of online game playing a week. That is one hour between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday most weeks. Li Zhanguo has two children ages 4 and 8. Even though they do not have smart phones, they enjoy playing online games.

A Guide to Everything Banned in China

How long can Chinese students play games?

In 2019, authorities restricted minors to playing 90 minutes a day on weekdays and banned them from playing between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. In 2021, they issued even harsher restrictions: Minors are allowed to play online games for only an hour a day and only on Fridays, weekends and public holidays.

Is Xbox banned in China?

Most video games selling in China don't have authorizations anyway. PS4 and Xbox one officially introduced to mainland in 2014, but the government only allow games with little violent and erotic content in the stores.

Does China allow blood in games?

The display of blood in Chinese game industry is strictly limited, if not banned. Before 2019, blood in many games cannot be red. And in 2019, a new ban prohibits even the presence of any blood. Peacekeeper Elite, a battle royale game developed in China, has no blood or death.

Is YouTube banned in China?

YouTube was first blocked in China for over five months from October 16, 2007 to March 22, 2008. It was blocked again from March 24, 2009, although a Foreign Ministry spokesperson would neither confirm nor deny whether YouTube had been blocked. Since then, YouTube has been inaccessible from Mainland China.

Why does China only allow 3 hours of gaming?

In China, Kids Are Limited To Playing Video Games For Only 3 Hours Per Week. In an effort to curb video game addiction among children, Chinese authorities are tightening the reins on just how much that online gaming companies are allowed to offer young users.

Can adults play games in China?

Online gaming in the country is now only available to people younger than 18 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. The decree is supported by an “anti-addiction” registry.

Is Roblox allowed in China?

The Chinese government strictly controls the internet and blocks access to many foreign websites, including Facebook, Google, and YouTube, and unfortunately, video games like Roblox.

Is TikTok banned in China?

Already, bans on using the app in government have taken effect at the state level. More than half of U.S. states have banned state employees from using TikTok on government-issued devices and a number of U.S. universities have barred it from their WiFi networks. Worth noting: TikTok doesn't operate inside China.

Is Netflix illegal in China?

Chinese residents and visitors are SOL (simply out of luck) when it comes to viewing Netflix content. In addition to the streaming giant's lack of a Chinese version of its service, licensing agreements with content providers force Netflix to ban out-of-country connections to country-specific content.

Is TikTok available in China?

But the wildly popular platform, developed with homegrown Chinese technology, isn't accessible in China. In fact, it's never existed there. Instead, there's a different version of TikTok — a sister app called Douyin.

Is Mortal Kombat banned in China?

In Germany, every Mortal Kombat game was banned for ten years from its release until 2015. Mortal Kombat (2011) is also banned in South Korea, and was banned in Australia until February 2013, while Mortal Kombat 11 is banned in Indonesia, Japan, Mainland China and Ukraine.

Why does China ban skeletons?

While skeletons are not exactly forbidden in China, some places see them as bad luck or a superstitious bad omen. With tough censors, Magic, as well as other growing fantasy games such as World of Warcraft, decided not to take a chance and go the safer route and simply not even include them.

Is cheating in games illegal in China?

In recent years, countries including South Korea and China have criminalized the sale or use of cheats in video games. In South Korea, cheaters could be punished with up to 5 years in jail or fines exceeding $40,000.

Is Apple ban in China?

Of course, Apple is not going to stop making or selling iPhones in China-- one of its largest markets. But Apple may not want any legal troubles right before the launch of the new iPhone 13 series.

Why Xbox failed in Japan?

Microsoft faced three big challenges launching Xbox in Japan. It had to convince Japanese developers to make games for Xbox, overcome consumers' skepticism about the first edition's bulky design, and make up for lost sales from launching after the holiday period.

Why is Minecraft banned in Turkey?

Turkey's Ministry of Family and Social Policies is calling for a ban on Minecraft following an investigation by its Children Services General Directorate that concluded "the game is based on violence." The Hurriyet Daily News said the report warned that children could confuse the game world with the real one, leading ...

What age are gamers in China?

The elevation of certain kinds of video games to the status of eSports birthed an “audience” just like any other sports. In China, around 21 percent of the surveyed eSports fans were below 22 years old, whereas about 9.4 percent were older than 35 years.

What is the 3 hour limit in China?

The regulations restricted playing online video games to 8-9pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays, for a total of 3 hours per week only in that time slot, for all youth under age 18. Niko Partners recognized the immense importance of this “3-hour rule” and built data and analysis around the impact of it.

Does China have curfew?

Is a curfew in place? No.

Why is the US banning TikTok?

Why does the US want to ban TikTok? TikTok gathers similar kinds of data as other apps, but US officials are concerned that this data could fall into the hands of the Chinese government. The US says this data could be used to spy on Americans, or to spread propaganda.