China regulator to 'earnestly study' public concerns over draft video gaming rules

NetEase

23/12/2023 12:00

SHANGHAI, Dec 23 (Reuters) - China's draft online video
gaming rules were designed to promote the healthy development of
the industry, regulators said on Saturday, adding that the
government would further improve the proposed rules after
"earnestly studying" public views.
    The statement from the press and publications watchdog came
a day after China released proposed sweeping rules aimed at
curbing spending and time on video games, dealing a blow to the
world's biggest games market and knocking the value of Tencent
Holdings  0700.HK , Netease  9999.HK  and other gaming stocks.
    Under the draft rules, online games will be banned from
giving players rewards if they log in every day, if they spend
on the game for the first time, or if they spend several times
on the game consecutively. 
    All are common incentive mechanisms in online games.    
    The draft rules were "designed to safeguard and promote the
healthy and prosperous development of the online gaming
industry," the National Press and Publication Administration
said in a statement on its website.
    The regulator said the government had collected opinions
widely during the drafting process, and "soliciting public views
for the rules is a process aimed at listening to opinions more
broadly, and improving the provisions of the rules."
    Responding to anxiety over the proposed measures, the
regulator said it will "earnestly study expressed concerns and
views", and will further amend the rules after absorbing
opinions from related government bodies, companies and users. 
    To restrict excessive spending, the draft rules also require
that games must set limits on how much players can top up their
digital wallets for in-game spending. Games would also be banned
from enabling the speculation and auction of virtual gaming
items.
    The administration is seeking public comment on the rules by
Jan. 22, 2024.

 (Reporting by Shanghai newsroom; Editing by David Holmes)
 ((samuel.shen@thomsonreuters.com;  +86 21 20830018; Reuters
Messaging: samuel.shen.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))