- Kyle Chua
China’s Gaming Addiction Among Minors “Basically Solved”, Says Industry Body
China's intense initiatives to curb video game addiction among minors appears to be paying off as a semi-official industry body proudly announced that playing time has been reduced over the past year.
The state-aligned China Game Publishers Association Publications Committee, in a survey published on Tuesday, claims more than 75% of gamers aged under 18 have capped their playing time to three hours a week. The data suggests that the Chinese government's regulations last year, when it only allowed minors to play between 8-9 p.m. on Fridays, weekends and public holidays, has been effective against the country's “gaming addiction problem". The industry body went as far to say that the problem is "basically solved".
According to the South China Morning Post, more than 85% of the parents surveyed said they approved of their children playing video games under supervision. Over 72% of the same respondents said playing video games did not affect their children’s studies at school and daily life. Meanwhile, at least 15% said their children secretly topped up their online gaming accounts, which is down from last year's 28.6%.
With the optimistic results of the survey, the hope supposedly is for China to soon ease restrictions on the game industry and let the domestic market bounce back. The country remains the largest market for games, generating billions of dollars on a quarterly basis. But, since the restrictions were implemented, sales have declined, totaling only 59.7 billion yuan (US$8.3 billion) last quarter versus 73.8 billion yuan in the same period last year.
Still, there are signs that the regulators are finally relenting. The National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) granted 70 new game licences last week, which is just a couple of licences short of the 73 granted in September. This is a stark contrast to last year when the industry watchdog did not grant any new licences for the latter half of the year. Developers and publishers are required to secure licences for a game to launch in China.
The survey comes just a week after the state-run People's Daily published an editorial that argues gaming is an industry with potential for high economic, technological, cultural and strategic returns.
While gaming addiction may be under control, the survey found that up to 65% of children have since turned to short video services online for entertainment, chief of which are Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, and its rival Kuaishou. These platforms, however, have for years now implemented a "youth mode," which sets browsing and tipping limits for minors.
The state-aligned China Game Publishers Association Publications Committee in a survey found that more than 75% of gamers aged under 18 have capped their playing time to three hours a week.
The industry body went as far to say that the country's "gaming addiction problem" is "basically solved".
With the optimistic results of the survey, the hope supposedly is for China to soon ease restrictions on the game industry and let the domestic market bounce back.