The Gaming Publishing Committee of the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association has released a draft of self-discipline rules to govern the promotion and distribution of new titles. The draft was jointly written by over a dozen Chinese gaming and tech companies, including Tencent Holdings, Perfect World, 37Games, iDreamSky, Kuaishou Technology, and Huawei Technologies Co. The release of these rules is part of China’s regulatory push to address problems related to video game addiction, excessive consumption, counterfeiting, copyright disputes, and user privacy.
The draft was published on Tuesday on the association’s official WeChat account. The release of the draft of self-discipline rules is the first comprehensive set since Beijing called for tighter controls in late 2021. The association states, “In 2021, the number of domestic gamers reached 666 million … driven by the huge market and interest, many games were illegally published and promoted, flooding the market. Continuing this trend is not conducive to the healthy development of the video game industry.”
According to the association, the set of rules will address issues such as gaming addiction, excessive consumption, counterfeiting, copyright disputes, and user privacy violations. The rules mandate that a game must meet 11 content requirements before distribution. These include refraining from promoting obscenity, pornography, gambling, violence, or aiding crimes. Games must also avoid leaking state secrets or damaging national honor and interests.
In addition, advertisements for games must comply with the requirements of building a Socialist Spiritual Civilization. According to Lilith Lee, a partner at Guangdong Baishijie law firm, “The majority of the new rules follow provisions in existing laws and regulations for online games, but they will serve as an integrated reference point for upstream and downstream practitioners across the entire industry, not just for a certain type.”
One of the critical components of these new rules is the strict requirements for the protection of minors, which has been a focal point of previous state crackdowns on the industry. President Xi Jinping said in 2021 that addiction to online games could negatively influence Chinese children. Online games must be connected to the “Online Game Anti-addiction Real-name Verification System” an embedded technology that identifies if a player is under 18 and limits their game time to three hours per week.
China has one of the most stringent markets globally for tackling video game addiction among children. In August 2021, Beijing limited gaming time for players under 18 to 8 PM to 9 PM on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and statutory holidays.
The draft of self-discipline rules follows a self-regulation pact signed by 213 video game companies, including Tencent and NetEase, in September 2021. The agreement pledged to ban addictive game design, prohibit content that could potentially violate social ethics, and reduce or eliminate cash incentives.
The release of these rules marks a significant step toward regulating China’s game industry. These guidelines aim to help promote a healthy and sustainable gaming environment while addressing concerns related to gaming addiction, excessive consumption, counterfeiting, copyright disputes, and user privacy violations.
