China Approves 84 New Games

[AlphaAtlas]

The Chinese government halted all new game approvals last year, which pummeled the stock prices of Chinese developers like Tencent while making international developers hoping to enter the Chinese market anxious. After releasing a small initial batch approved games late last year, the Chinese government recently approved 84 more. Some media outlets are painting this as a positive development, as the time between approvals suggests the government is picking up the pace, but an expert speaking to the Financial Times notes that the recently approved games "are not hardcore games," which are seemingly more difficult to approve. Big titles from Tencent still haven't made the list, and I don't see any AAA games from international developers either. Mobile apps aside, I think the Chinese gaming market is going to be a tough one to enter for the foreseeable future, which could have some unintended consequences.

The freeze on new approvals had spooked companies in the world's largest gaming market, where an estimated 620 million players spent $37.9 billion last year, mostly on mobile and PC games, according to gaming market research firm Newzoo.

 

[Patton187]

This type of shit is why no one should do business with commies.

 

[Master_shake_]

they're just doing it for the peoples protection, yeah that's it.

 

[Vildayyan2003]

Fuck all communists and their supporters.

 

[thenapalm]

Do they not have ... oh, apparently they do have phones.

 

[TheOne&OnlyZeke]

Do they not have ... oh, apparently they do have phones.

Only Huawei though
You'll be hanged for having an iPhone

 

[Tsumi]

And we will see yet another huge influx of pay-to-win mobile games as companies try to capitalize on that market. Like the pile of turd that is the new Command and Conquer and Diablo.

 

[Laowai]

Only Huawei though
You'll be hanged for having an iPhone

China finds that comment insulting and demands an immediate apology!
The CPC would like you ignorant, imperialist swine to know they employ the latest technology in their mobile execution vans to more efficiently bring harmony to the peace loving people of China.

 

[SixFootDuo]

I can promise all of you guys game companies could give a fuk less about a governments politics .... they are not going to turn their backs on 3 billion or whatever people there are over there.

 

[Lakados]

See it is great the China is increasing the speed they are approving the games, and at the same time I am glad they are being a little more restrictive on what they are allowing. I am hoping it curbs a few trends that have been starting up over the last few years and maybe puts and end to some of them entirely. Developers and Publishers will still be aiming for China, they can't afford not too at this point but if it helps put an end to loot boxes and pay to win practices than who am I to complain.

 

[Aix.]

Fuck all communists and their supporters.

Heh, you wouldn't happen to own anything made in China, would you?

 

[MrDeaf]

Heh, you wouldn't happen to own anything made in China, would you?

We wouldn't have to if... oh, IDK, corporations would stop moving manufacturing to China

 

[Mega6]

Heh, you wouldn't happen to own anything made in China, would you?

It's probably broke anyways.

 

[The Mad Atheist]

Damn commies, betcha they don't want certain games unless everyone gets to play them, just like their movies!

 

[Twisted Kidney]

Totalitarian regimes always have that need to push a little more. To stagnate more and more when they don't think they can completely control change.

The fear of change consumes pretty much authoritarian political regime eventually..

 

[Comixbooks]

I see Rage 2 didn't make the list well it's not out yet.

 

[Tsumi]

See it is great the China is increasing the speed they are approving the games, and at the same time I am glad they are being a little more restrictive on what they are allowing. I am hoping it curbs a few trends that have been starting up over the last few years and maybe puts and end to some of them entirely. Developers and Publishers will still be aiming for China, they can't afford not too at this point but if it helps put an end to loot boxes and pay to win practices than who am I to complain.

You do realize all the mobile games they are approving are the ones that started the whole pay-to-win and gambling/gacha features, right?

 

[Lakados]

You do realize all the mobile games they are approving are the ones that started the whole pay-to-win and gambling/gacha features, right?

Well fuck.... as long as they keep them over there everything is good.

 

[NeoNemesis]

What a shitty country to live in.

 

[M76]

We wouldn't have to if... oh, IDK, corporations would stop moving manufacturing to China

Are you prepared to pay 3-5 times more for these products? Because that's what it would mean if everything were produced by people who get western wages. Of course automation can reduce the price as it doesn't cost significantly more to run a robotized assembly line in the US than it is in china. What is this world coming to? Automation creating jobs in western countries? Who would've thought!

 

[Delicieuxz]

They're pretty much all mobile games, with a small number of webpage-based games, and a single console game, Human rescue plan for the PS4.

Who cares about mobile games?

 

[MrDeaf]

Are you prepared to pay 3-5 times more for these products? Because that's what it would mean if everything were produced by people who get western wages. Of course automation can reduce the price as it doesn't cost significantly more to run a robotized assembly line in the US than it is in china. What is this world coming to? Automation creating jobs in western countries? Who would've thought!

For one, I don't think products would increase 3-5 times. I think it would, at most, cost of products will increase 1.5 to 3 times.
Second, If we had a bunch of manufacturing jobs, they would typically offer $25~45/hr, or 2 to 4 times minimum, depending on area.

See, we used to live off of manufacturing wages just fine back in the days when all the manufacturing plants were still at home.
And then all those manufacturing jobs were sent offshore. Now look at where we are.