China imposes anti-addiction limits on kids' gaming

22 Comments by Kyle Orland Apr 10th 2007 8:57PM
Filed under: PC, Online, MMO, Business

China's estimated 18 million underage online gamers better enjoy their unfettered play time while they can. State news agency Xinhua is reporting on Chinese government restrictions that will limit internet gaming for minors starting July 15. The reasoning behind the limits? A National Children's Center report that claims 13 percent of those young Chinese gamers -- over 2 million players -- are addicted to online games. Apparently, in this case, the good of the few outweighs the freedom of the many.

Reportedly, minors who spend more then three hours a day in-game will lose half their "earned credits" -- five hours of gaming a day will lose kids all their credits. Possibly more chillingly, all online gamers will be required to provide their government ID number to confirm that they're over 18. That's right -- Big Brother is watching you play games.

Previously: China to set three hour limit on MMORPGs

[Via Next Gen]

Tags: china, chinese, kids, limits, MMOs, online, politics

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(Page 1) Reader Comments

Patrick: Apr 10th 2007; 9:06PM

Sheesh China is retarded.

And here I though the Olympics promoted free speech and civil liberties... So China have the next one why exactly?

Yoshi Likes Boys: Apr 10th 2007; 9:10PM

I'm not sure what's more retarded. The main post acting like it's a surprise (it's FUCKING CHINA) or the comment that claims that the Olympics are about civil liberties.

Tuatara: Apr 10th 2007; 9:15PM

"Reportedly, minors who spend more then three hours a day in-game"

Shouldn't it be "minors who spend more THAN three hours?"

:P Sorry grammar nazi.

FndrStrar06: Apr 10th 2007; 9:21PM

See this is what happens when people play WoW too much. They become so addicted their government has to step in.

Dansk: Apr 10th 2007; 9:22PM

Maybe if they had FREEDOM! They wouldnt have to spend so much time in fantasy worlds..

Vegan: Apr 10th 2007; 9:37PM

What the hell is an "earned credit?"

StevO: Apr 10th 2007; 9:44PM

What it said on the Engadget post for this topic made it seem more like after three hours, players only received half of the points normally awarded for their actions and after five hours, you would stop earning any points for your efforts (AKA after five hours of raids in WoW you would stop gaining experience until you rested, making further gameplay somewhat pointless).

It's not like the police barges in and throws you in a sack. Then again..

Bluebreaker: Apr 10th 2007; 10:08PM

What I wanna know is how a entire nation lets its goverment walk all over them for centuries.

Miles: Apr 10th 2007; 10:18PM

Go communism. BTW, the Olympics are about nations competing without weapons.

Cheesehead: Apr 10th 2007; 10:23PM

Q: When did communism become facism?

A: The other day in China!

Bluebreaker: Apr 10th 2007; 11:02PM

Yes, in addition to money and tourism the Olympics are a huge ego fest for nations.

O_o: Apr 11th 2007; 12:05AM

"What I wanna know is how a entire nation lets its goverment walk all over them for centuries."

Its a fact that parents in china doesn't like their children 'wasting' time on games. If anything, they would certainly welcome the change.

lintsniffer: Apr 11th 2007; 2:34AM

Q: When did communism become facism?

A: The other day in China!
__________

I love people who get their definition of communism and fascism from movies and popular opinion. Fascism doesn't just mean "general authoritarian government". Communism, by definition, is authoritarian enough to describe this rediculous law. Communism has always meant "restrictive dictatorship based on enslaving the populace for the good of itself".

nofuture: Apr 11th 2007; 3:02AM

Anybody know the make and model of the timer in the picture associated with this story? I can't make out the small print.

daniel: Apr 11th 2007; 5:13AM

this wouldnt sound out of place here in the uk seems ewvery day our government interferes more in our lifes because apparantly were too stupid to look after ourselves- although a lot of people probably are

mr mobius: Apr 11th 2007; 8:10AM

How will china half the experience earned? Surely they can't access the WoW servers without Blizzard's permission? Same I'm sure goes for other mmorpgs.

Nathan Smart: Apr 11th 2007; 9:33AM

Of course Kyle Orland writes this one...

420sniper: Apr 11th 2007; 9:55AM

I blame George Bush.

kftgr: Apr 11th 2007; 4:53PM

Doesn't some other company operate WoW in China instead of Blizzard? With an ID associated with accounts, it'd be ridiculously easy to implement the 3hr = 1/2, 5hr+ = 0 earnings. Of course, the truly addicted will either 1) use someone else's ID or 2) play a different MMO hosted by a different company.

kftgr: Apr 11th 2007; 5:07PM

After reading the article, the bigger point is requiring real name/ID to register for online games. I bet the gaming companies tacitly support that, as it would make it more difficult for banned users from getting new accounts.

Another thought on the time limit...there will be a significant powershift when the group that typically puts in the most playtime is now limited to "casual" playtimes. Hardcore kiddies no more!

Questworld: Apr 11th 2007; 11:59PM

"What I wanna know is how a entire nation lets its goverment walk all over them for centuries."

From what history tells us, it's no different than having other foreign governments walk all over them for the latter's own goals. What do you suppose such incidents as the Opium War were about?

Sean: Apr 12th 2007; 1:37AM

Apparently we here in the states aren't the only ones who can't take care of our kids on our own and require government aid to parent.

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