China Cracks Down on Online Games

[Andy Chalk]

China Cracks Down on Online Games

China has taken action against 71 computer games and issued warnings to 27 game operators in what appears to be a growing crackdown against "vulgar" content in videogames.

China's General Administration of Press and Publications has shut down 45 "foreign games" that had not been given official approval to operate, while 26 others were "checked and treated for bad content." 27 game operators in the country have been issued warnings and given deadlines to correct their games, which a GAPP representative described as a "bad social influence."

The rapid growth of online gaming in China means the GAPP will step up its oversight of the industry, with improved regulations and a system of approval and supervision procedures that will be fully functional by the end of the year. Approval and management of foreign games will be "further improved," while home-grown games will be subject to a new registration system. The Administration also urged companies that operate online games in China to strengthen their self-discipline and "work hard to be good corporate citizens."

Despite its burgeoning market, China seems to be growing increasingly wary of, and in some cases hostile to, the industry, and to foreign game makers in particular. Blizzard had to make won't be able to release a Chinese version [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/93726-World-of-Warcraft-Changed-for-China] of the game.

Source: ChinaTechNews.com [http://www.chinatechnews.com/2009/09/01/10439-gapp-issues-warning-to-27-computer-games-providers-for-vulgar-content-in-china/]


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[Destal]

When a game as family friendly as WoW is has to change...there are serious problems. I feel bad for Chinese gamers.

 

[Communist partisan]

Destal you're so right i rather shoot myself than lie about this.

 

[Raregolddragon]

Why Communism why must you kill fun and happiness? Why must you rape your own citizens of laughter and smiles and fun. Why must all things under your red flag be sad, depressing, sexually repressed and smelly like that of a jewish banker?

Why must life and the color blue be murderer when you come to power?

 

[Turtleboy1017]

The worst part about it is that since it is their country, no one can really oppose them on their decisions.

Man China, why you gotta be like that

 

[Simalacrum]

eh, the WoW changes are very minor, and since the majority of players play that, it shouldn't affect them too much... Still, lack of Diabolo III for Chinese players is certain suckage for them... =\

 

[Pendragon9]

"WE ARE CHINA! IF YOU DON'T DO THINGS OUR WAY, WE KEEL YOU! >:O"

That's the impression I always get.

 

[Cryo84R]

The internet is bad for harmonious society.

Yes, communism is bad. Too many people in the west forget the kind of stuff that goes on in places like N Korea and China.

This is nothing.

 

[Cowabungaa]

Why Communism why must you kill fun and happiness? Why must you rape your own citizens of laughter and smiles and fun. Why must all things under your red flag be sad, depressing, sexually repressed and smelly like that of a jewish banker?

Why must life and the color blue be murderer when you come to power?

If one country is nót communist any more, it's China. It's...something awful, some kind of bastardisation between opportunistic capitalism and a dictatorial government, barely communistic.

That said, I still feel bad for Chinese gamers.

 

[yourbeliefs]

Not like I needed ANOTHER reason to not move to China. I've been there and it is a nice and widely diverse country, but the censorship stuff there is just insane.

 

[quiet_samurai]

Why Communism why must you kill fun and happiness? Why must you rape your own citizens of laughter and smiles and fun. Why must all things under your red flag be sad, depressing, sexually repressed and smelly like that of a jewish banker?

Why must life and the color blue be murderer when you come to power?

China is hardly Communist anymore, it's a misconception.

And China has always had a strict government throughout it's history. Foreigners weren't even allowed to set foot into the Empire until about 200 years ago (not counting invaders). They have always been terribly xenophobic to others and rather oppressive to their own. But they are also one of the oldest civilizations in the world, so who knows.

 

[Steve the Pocket]

If one country is nót communist any more, it's China. It's...something awful, some kind of bastardisation between opportunistic capitalism and a dictatorial government, barely communistic.

They've always been more "Soviet" than "Communist" anyway. Ever since day one. And yes, there is a big difference.

 

[Pink_Pirate]

Im not gonna get into the discussion on china being right or wrong, let them do as they please. But the sad thing is that there exists no quantifiable evidence that enjoying violent/naughty/religious/whatever media can make you any more prone to such behaviour. It's a myth, media violence does not make people violent. sure it can serves as inspiration for people who already have disturbed minds, but there the problem is with those specific people, not the media itself. Sure you will hear about studies that have proved that media violence causes violence, but they often offer very vague definitions on what exactly constitutes as "media influence", and are very rarely internally consistent, to the point that if one study that said media violence causes is right, another study that said media violence causes violence can't possible be right.

 

[Takoto]

When a game as family friendly as WoW is has to change...there are serious problems. I feel bad for Chinese gamers.

WoW... isn't exactly family-friendly. Considering you're likely to get called "A fucking shitty noob" a lot... and I do... and I play on a Private Server. When I played on Retail WoW I got sworn at a lot for no reason...

But yeah, it does seem like China is trying to crack down on any game thats more violent than Cooking Mama. I'm surprised Pokémon hasn't been banned for animal cruelty or something.

 

[Kollega]

If one country is nót communist any more, it's China. It's...something awful, some kind of bastardisation between opportunistic capitalism and a dictatorial government, barely communistic.

That said, I still feel bad for Chinese gamers.

Pretty much this. I despise China not for being communistic,but for being capitalism without democracy. Capitalism is actually a "bad" thing in Capitalism-Democracy tandem,and when you combine it with a dictatorship...

And opression of games and gamers is just yet another reason not to move there.

 

[Teh_Doomage]

They just have their ways, and while I disagree with them, it's their country to run into the ground.

 

[SomeBritishDude]

Well, lets hope that China keeps hassilying WoW. Blizzard will have to put their foot down at some point, which means a chinease ban, which also means...Pandaren!

Let the Panda violence commence!

[img/]http://www.halolz.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/halolz-dot-com-tekken6-pandakick.jpg[/img]

 

[Sevre]

Well, they're on the way to becoming a third world country.

You're not a fan of economics are you?