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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,
Netease 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)
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