From the New York Post:
China bans minors from playing video games on school days — and limits weekend hours
China is banning minors from playing online video games for more than three hours per week — and prohibiting the practice altogether during school days.
In an effort to fight addiction, gamers under the age of 18 will be allowed to play only during the hours of 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and official holidays, China’s main state-run media agency Xinhua reported on Monday.
The news is part of a broader crackdown on tech in the country — and comes less than a month after Chinese state media slammed online games as “spiritual opium” threatening to “destroy a generation,” sending shares of game-makers plummeting.
As part of the stringent rules revealed Monday, online game companies will be required to register gamers “using their real identifications,” meaning that crafty kids and teens will not be able to evade the ban by simply creating new accounts under fake names. ...
....MUCH MORE
Related August 3:
Chinese officials took another swipe today, calling gaming a "spiritual opium," and companies in that ecosystem, including Tencent, fell. Subsequently, the South China Morning Post reported that the reference has been deleted "because its attack against the industry does not represent Beijing's official stance." Ironically, investors using the "connect" links reportedly bought about $3 bln of Chinese shares in the four sessions through yesterday. On another front, Beijing announced an investigation into the possible price manipulation of makers of semiconductor chips for autos. The State Administration for Market Regulation is focused on prices but also on companies "hoarding" chips....
Taking
on the gaming community may be a bridge too far for the government and
set up the third Chinese revolution (counting 1911). If only the
hard-core gamers got out more.
