Photo: zi Wa

Why did China ban gaming?

The move represents a huge tightening of earlier limits set by the agency in 2019, which had restricted play to 90 minutes on weekdays and three hours on weekends for children. Authorities said that the restrictions were put in place to help prevent young people becoming addicted to video games.

cnn.com - China bans kids from playing online video games during the week - CNN

What did cowboys use for toilet paper?

Mullein Mullein aka “cowboy toilet paper” If the cowboys used the large velvety leaves of the mullein (Verbascum thapsus) plant while out on the...

Last updated Mar 2, 2022

Which survival game has the best crafting?

The best crafting games on PC are: Terraria. Ark: Survival Evolved. Don't Starve. Scrap Mechanic. Subnautica. 7 Days to Die. Green Hell. Valheim....

Last updated Aug 1, 2018

Promotion

Hong Kong/Beijing CNN Business —

China has barred online gamers under the age of 18 from playing on weekdays and limited their play to just three hours most weekends, marking a significant escalation of restrictions on the country’s massive gaming industry. The move represents a huge tightening of earlier limits set by the agency in 2019, which had restricted play to 90 minutes on weekdays and three hours on weekends for children. Authorities said that the restrictions were put in place to help prevent young people becoming addicted to video games. The NPPA noted this week that the rules were being issued “at the beginning of the new [school] semester, putting specific requirements for preventing the addiction to online games, and protecting the healthy growth of minors.” Investors were quick to react. NetEase slumped 3.4% during regular trading hours in New York on Monday. Tencent (TCEHY) suffered roughly the same drop in Hong Kong on Tuesday before ticking back up 1.6%.

An escalating crackdown

In recent months, China has embarked on a major clampdown on private enterprise, which has engulfed some of the country’s top players. Initially, it appeared that regulators’ main target was the booming tech sector, but lately that has expanded to reach other industries, such as private education. Alicia Yap, an analyst at Citi, said that she expected the impact of the latest curbs on gaming companies to be “minimal,” with less than a “low single digit” hit to China revenue for both Tencent and NetEase. “That said, we believe this will still represent another setback to the industry and potentially send another wave of negative sentiment to the market and lower investors’ overall expectations for future gaming industry growth,” she wrote in a note to clients Tuesday. People playing online games one day before the China Digital Entertainment Expo & Conference at the Shanghai New International Expo Center on Aug. 1, 2019. Visual China Group/Getty Images At a news conference Monday, a spokesperson for the NPPA said that the strict new curbs were in response to complaints from parents. “Many parents said that teenagers’ addiction to online games seriously affected their studies, and physical and mental health, leading to a series of social problems, making many parents suffer,” said the unidentified representative, according to a report by Xinhua. In recent years, the Chinese government implemented a registration system which required people who played computer games to do so under their real names, allowing companies to check up on them. This week, it reiterated that policy, with the NPPA noting that “online game enterprises shall not provide game services in any form … to users who have not registered or logged in with their real names.”

Which red dot is best?

The 5 Best Red Dot Sight Aimpoint PRO Red Dot Reflex Sight: Best Overall Red Dot. Trijicon MRO: Best Reflex Sight for AR15. Bushnell Trophy TRS-25:...

Last updated Oct 3, 2018

How long can you camp on your own land UK?

You must have planning permission for the campsite before you apply for a licence. You do not need a licence to run a campsite if: the site is used...

Last updated Jun 20, 2018

Promotion

In a statement Tuesday, Tencent said it had been working on “various new technologies and functions for the protection of minors” since 2017. “That will continue, as Tencent strictly abides by and actively implements the latest requirements from Chinese authorities,” the company added. Tencent has previously noted that the amount of revenue it earns from minors playing games is relatively small. In its most recent earnings presentation, it said that players under the age of 16 accounted for only 2.6% of its gross gaming receipts in China. Martin Lau, the company’s president, also said at the time that “there are a lot of new regulations that will be coming, but we are pretty confident that we can be compliant.” The Chinese tech giant had already made headlines earlier this month for announcing limits on the amount of time minors could spend playing the company’s online games, such as the popular title “Honor of Kings.” Under those rules, minors could play the game for only two hours on holidays, and an hour on other days. That statement came after a newspaper owned by Xinhua published a lengthy analysis that used terms such as “spiritual opium” and “electronic drug” to describe the harmful effects of gaming on children.

NetEase did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The new rules prompted outcry on Chinese social media, where many users complained that they were too strict. Some also pointed out the drawbacks of imposing a blanket ban, suggesting that there should be rules that apply for “different kinds of games and minors of different ages.” “Are [the ages of] 7 and 17 the same?” asked another Weibo user. Others fretted that it would ultimately put the country behind in the world of competitive gaming. “China doesn’t have the future for e-sports then. It’s impossible for teens to train,” wrote a third Weibo user. “Kids in other countries [will] win the world’s champion at 17 years old, while we start to play the game at 18.”

cnn.com - China bans kids from playing online video games during the week - CNN

Is Squid Game overrate?

Did I just say that Squid Game is overrated? Yes, that's absolutely right. In my (humble) opinion, Squid Game is overrated. Dec 28, 2021

Last updated Jan 3, 2020

Who is Luigi's villain?

Waluigi is a fictional character in the Mario franchise. He plays the role of Luigi's arch-rival and accompanies Wario in spin-offs from the main...

Last updated Jun 22, 2018

Promotion

How do you stockpile water?

Fill bottles or jugs directly from the faucet. Cap tightly and label each container with the words "Drinking Water" and the date stored. Store...

Last updated Jan 9, 2018

Promotion

How do you calculate 5 year overall survival?

Relative and absolute rates Five-year relative survival rates describe the percentage of patients with a disease alive five years after the disease...

Last updated Oct 9, 2019