#chinagames

[enterprisewired]

China Removes Official Amidst Gaming Regulation Turbulence

China has reportedly removed a key official from its press and publications regulatory body following the recent upheaval in the gaming industry due to proposed rules aimed at curbing excessive spending on video games. Feng Shixin, who previously served as the head of the publishing unit within the Communist Party’s Publicity Department, was ousted from his role last week, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Unconfirmed Departure and Regulatory Impact

Although the Chinese government’s State Council Information Office, responsible for addressing media inquiries and personnel matters, has not responded to requests for comment, sources suggest Feng’s removal is connected to recent measures introduced by the National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA). These rules triggered a significant downturn in the stock prices of major players in the global gaming sector, including Tencent.

The Fallout from Regulatory Measures

The NPPA’s announced measures, designed to curb excessive spending in gaming and limit rewards incentivizing gameplay, led to widespread concern within the industry. This concern resulted in a staggering $80 billion decrease in the combined market value of China’s top gaming companies. Investors, already wary of potential regulatory changes, witnessed a dent in confidence, impacting the market at a time when Beijing aimed to foster private sector investment for economic rejuvenation.

Following the initial announcement, the NPPA softened its stance in response to public feedback, expressing intentions to refine the rules after considering public sentiment. However, this reassessment followed days of turmoil in the market and widespread apprehension among investors.

A Recovery Amidst Turmoil

China’s gaming sector faced severe governmental restrictions in 2021, including stringent playtime limitations for minors and a suspension of new game approvals for around eight months. This crackdown, driven by concerns about gaming addiction, was part of a broader regulatory tightening across various sectors, causing 2022 to be the industry’s toughest year, witnessing a decline in overall revenue for the first time.

Despite the challenging regulatory landscape, China’s gaming market experienced a resurgence in 2023, registering a 14% increase in domestic revenue, reaching 303 billion yuan ($42.47 billion), as reported by the CGIGC industry association.

The removal of Feng Shixin amid these regulatory shifts suggests ongoing turbulence within China’s gaming industry. As authorities navigate the delicate balance between regulation and growth, stakeholders await further developments that could significantly shape the future of gaming in the country.

Curious to learn more? Explore our articles on Enterprise Wired

[karaokulta]

🚀🇨🇳 ¡Xsolla enciende motores en Beijing! 🧧🎮 Utilizando la audacia tan característica de Xsolla, la apertura de su nueva oficina en la vibrante capital de China marca un salto cuántico para el mercado de juegos global. ¡Estamos presenciando la semilla inicial de lo que podría ser la próxima revolución en el comercio de juegos! Aquí va mi predicción: - **Posicionamiento estratégico**: La oficina en el corazón de Beijing se convertirá en un epicentro de innovación para los desarrollos de juegos local e internacional. Este movimiento fortalecerá la influencia de China en la industria y lo hará por medio del lente único de Xsolla. ¡Imaginen las posibilidades! - **Alianzas transformadoras**: Xsolla no solo se suma al mercado chino; crea un puente de doble dirección. Prepárense para experiencias mutuamente enriquecedoras a través de asociaciones novedosas y programas audaces que derribarán las barreras culturales y tecnológicas. - **Monetización reinventada**: Con un arsenal de estrategias bajo el brazo, Xsolla está lista para revolucionar cómo los juegos no sólo se crean, sino cómo generan ganancias. ¿Estaremos a punto de presenciar un nuevo patrón oro en la monetización de videojuegos? Ahora la charla divertida... ¡Imagine lo siguiente! - La Gran Muralla se convierte en el Great Firewall , pero para proteger a tus preciados contenidos digitales. 📡🔒 - Cada videojuego cuenta con un Dragón Guardián , que vuela asegurando que los innovadores tesoros de monetización lleguen sin obstáculos a ingeniosos desarrolladores. 🐉💸 Lo sé, suena sacado de una distopía gamer, ¡pero este es el futuro que Xsolla está esculpiendo y está sucediendo ahora! 🙌 ¡No se lo pierdan! Manténganse informados y listos para agarrar cada oportunidad. ¿Quién más está ansioso por ver qué olas creativas trae Xsolla a la escena? ¡Comenta tus expectativas y no te olvides de etiquetar a ese amigo que debe estar tan emocionado como tú! #Xsolla #Beijing #ChinaGaming #GameDev #Innovación #Videojuegos #Monetización

[unicornhopper1979]

I am not renewing my developer account so In 24 days this game will no longer be available from the app store Link in bio or search app store for unicorn hopper. This is my first game !!! It's available for apple and android I made this game for my 6 year old daughter she helped with various parts of the game including her voice. Could you download the game and give us feedback thanks in advance #china #chinagames #tokyogameshow #tokyogameshow2018 #tokyogamemarket #newgames #newgame #newgameplus #endlessrunnergame #familygamenight #familygames #gamescom #freegame #freegames #ipadgames #ipad #jakepaul #loganpaul #infinite #dantdm #lucasandmarcus #martinatwins #pewdiepie #stampylongnose #stampy #ninja #tfue #fazerain https://www.instagram.com/p/BxcjYv0BiZi/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ev03os2iwu2g

[cedricbelanger]

@nhlbruins VS @nhlflames Pretty sure I was the only dude at the @nhl #chinagames sporting the @senators swag! 😆🏒🥅 ___ #china #hockey #nhl #ottawa #senators #bruins #calgaryflames #shenzhen #sports #bud #flannel #canada (at Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnxyY7IHh9Q/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1kzy2hv6803gd

[marioslaugh-blog]

{ She likes to stay in the dark } #filmfeed #keepfilmalive #thefilmcommunity #belgrade #phonephotography #portrait #portraiture #folk #huji #lookslikefilm #portraitphotography #kinfolk #white #instadaily #photoofthedaythe #blackandwhitephotography #lomography400 #filmphotographyproject #holga120 #mediumformat #6x6film #kodak #portra400 #lomography #chinagame #gameofthrones #castle #castlehill #got #gotaddict (at Glasgow, United Kingdom)

[worldwarriorscollectiv-blog]

Oh yous a gamer gamer? Reppin your country while puttin in that work? Well do it while rockin the gear to match. www.teespring.com/stores/global-collectiv-collection . . #yourcountry #gamer #girlgamer #girlgamers #boygamer #gamerboy #WorldWarriorsCollectiv #globalcollectivcollection #puertoricogamer #puertoricoholic #puertorico #korea #koreangamer #bahrain #china #chinese #mandarin #chinagamer #chinesegamer #bygamersforgamers #gamersofinstagram #teespring #shopshop #clothingline #clothingbrand #buyashirt #buymyshirts https://www.instagram.com/p/B2NYRXLAB5t/?igshid=17ak3il5dl9q9

[bumblebee85]

Finally get to watch some @nhlbruins preseason @nhl hockey...yeah it's 3am but I'm up at nights so these China games are sweet!! #nhl #bostonbruins #chinagames https://www.instagram.com/p/BnvOF4BFu1-/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1lc4q5po08c7l

[randomasdf]

中国赛 #nhl #chinagames (at Beijing, China) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnID0a6FyFh/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=8proxu0fbwcw

[dicederbi-blog]

Today I took my board game to new heights, and had a round on The Great Wall of China! . . #dicederbi #greatwallofchina #thegreatwall #boardgame #china #beijing #beijinggames #dicegames #boardgames #traveller #globegamer #neverbeendonebefore #firsttimeever #chinagames #newgame #soonforsale #licensethis (at Great Wall of China)

[socalkraken]

Watching 1st preseason game in China. Early game but death wish coffee fixes everything.Awesome we scored first, let's already start season. #StayMetal #LAKings #Slayer #DieterRuehle #Dodgers #ChinaGames #Deathwish

[myesportsglobe]

It's time to go back to TI 1 The international which changed the Esports industry forever!! Thank you @natus_vincere_official for the amazing memories! Check out our coverage of TI one here https://myesportsglobe.com/games/dota2/dota-2-remembering-the-international #theinternational #dota2 #natusvincere #natus #navi #daniel #dendi #dendib8 #secret #secretdota #cisdota #dota2remember #oldTimes #firstcompetition #esportsblog #gamesnew #esportsnews #latestnews #gamingnews #navigame #teamsecret #ogdota2 #teamliquid #china #chinesegaming #chinagaming #gaminfinals #2011 #firstgames (at Cologne, Germany) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Ko-XDAx7j/?igshid=m2uudpc8pslz

[eduardomarin90]

ChinaGame from Florian Moreau on Vimeo.

C4D experiment. more on instagram.com/florian614/

[stocks100]

Gotta love team golf when the other three shoot 78,78 & 74 - Not looking like a medal now!! #golf #loopinlife #Chinagames

Gotta love team golf when the other three shoot 78,78 & 74 - Not looking like a medal now!! #golf #loopinlife #Chinagames

— Chris Stockdale (@stockyinoz) September 4, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/stockyinoz September 04, 2017 at 06:39PM via IFTTT

[unicornhopper1979]

I am not renewing my developer account so In 24 days this game will no longer be available from the app store Link in bio or search app store for unicorn hopper. This is my first game !!! It's available for apple and android I made this game for my 6 year old daughter she helped with various parts of the game including her voice. Could you download the game and give us feedback thanks in advance #china #chinagames #tokyogameshow #tokyogameshow2018 #tokyogamemarket #newgames #newgame #newgameplus #endlessrunnergame #familygamenight #familygames #gamescom #freegame #freegames #ipadgames #ipad #jakepaul #loganpaul #infinite #dantdm #lucasandmarcus #martinatwins #pewdiepie #stampylongnose #stampy #ninja #tfue #fazerain https://www.instagram.com/p/BxcYDKPhQ4q/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=k1925y6iewx6

[marioslaugh-blog]

{ Play with me } #filmfeed #keepfilmalive #thefilmcommunity #belgrade #phonephotography #portrait #portraiture #folk #huji #lookslikefilm #portraitphotography #kinfolk #white #instadaily #photoofthedaythe #blackandwhitephotography #lomography400 #filmphotographyproject #holga120 #mediumformat #6x6film #kodak #portra400 #lomography #chinagame #gameofthrones #castle #castlehill #got #gotaddict (at Glasgow, United Kingdom)

[vgranin]

I have been working in the trading/ procurement /factory industry in China for a while, so when a friend of mine in the same industry asked me if I want to attend a trade show with all expenses paid, it seemed like a fantastic deal. fantastic enough to raise some questions to be exact. the offer was for anyone interested in automotive, tire and accessories industry, who would be willing to spend 2 or three days at the exhibition in Shandong provice. the organizers provide free bus transportation to the exhibition, free 5-star hotel room for each person, 3 buffet style meals a day, and everything else that you might need on the trip. the only real requirements were that you had to be a foreigner (in China) not on a student visa, be at least 25 years old, and you had to wear presentable business casual attire during the exhibition. sounds a little fishy doesn’t it? well the good friend of mine who invited me was going and a few of his friends as well, so I decided to explore this new China experience.

an interesting moment I think is worth mentioning is when I was filling out the sign up form, I had to chose one of six pick-up locations. four of which were major airports, one train station, and one central Beijing location. they must advertise and get a lot of foreigners through this promotion.

getting out of the subway exit to meet with everyone, I noticed a huge crowd of young people. there were definitely more than a hundred people standing around in small groups waiting for something. this is where I was meeting my friends, and because of this quite remote location from regular public areas, it was quite probable that all of these people were going to the same trade show. surprised and very curious to say the least at the moment, I think I will skip forward an hour or two. 

we were taking nice coach buses on this five hour journey to the exhibition. there were about 10 busses waiting in the parking lot, and all of them were almost full of people by the time we were ready to depart. I was sitting next to my friend C and his old friend V, a front desk assistant manager at a small hotel in Beijing. apparently this trade show of this kind is not the first for both of them, so V tells me a story. the last trade show they were both invited to was in Dalian. for those who are not very familiar with geography of China, that is a beautiful coastal city, located closer to North Korea than to Beijing. this trade show was one of the largest ones to be held in the North, focusing on textile and underwear garments. both of my friends, and a few hundred of other foreigners were invited to attend this trade show with all the expenses paid, including the airfare from and back to Beijing. I remind you, this was available for absolutely anyone who had a foreign to China passport, was older than 25 (there are always exceptions), and was willing to spend the few days in a different city. so far the story is quite entertaining, if you count the capital investment to provide it all for “anyone who qualifies”, but it only gets better.

at the trade show, each foreigner who came on this trip, was given a few business cards with their names and some made up company title, position, email and phone number. my friend C, for example, was to be the CEO of some European underwear garment company, interested in Chinese products. V on the other hand, was to be a factory director, interested to see the operations of Chinese garment factories. the role-play continued when on the second day my friends were asked to sit on a “panel discussion”, watching a presentation by a Chinese supplier. they had nametags, table place cards, everything perfectly set up for them just to be present and awake at the conference. they were not required to say anything, ask questions or participate in discussions. they were just to be present at the event and sit by their place cards looking good for the event photographers. apparently the only tricky part of the role-play was when C was asked with curiosity by a company presenter on how he became a CEO of such a large multinational corporation at only twenty five years old. “in the West, everything is possible” – an answer which I am sure was not easy to understand for a small factory worker from a rural part of China.

in almost 2 years in China I have seen some unexpectedly fake things (completely fake whole Apple stores), fake performers (don’t we all remember the 2008 Beijing Olympic little girl singer story?) swindled statistics (air quality, ugh), strange news (16,000 dead pigs floating down the river in Shanghai), hell, even getting fake money from an ATM in the center of Beijing…and this still blew my mind. basically, to sum it up, it comes down to this, and I’ll take a few steps back to make it a bigger picture:

the government is in full control of the people, and to keep that with the least resistance, they must keep the economy growing to keep unemployed and underemployed from starting social unrests. to do this, the Communist Party has to subsidize, finance, or sometimes even build whole new factories to create new jobs. according to some economists (China Road, Rob Gifford), 25 million new jobs have to be created in China every year (that’s 1/12 of US population, every year !!!). after these factories are built, the jobs are given out, and products are subsidized, comes the part I was now witnessing. the government creates (almost fake) trade shows (for which the government also builds the state of the art, unbelievably large show centers) and promises (!) to the factories a certain number of “foreign businessmen” (read young kids, clueless and not interested in the industry = fake customers) to attend the shows. they promise and they deliver. the promotion pamphlet for the exhibition I was going said: “last year more than 400 Professional foreigners including people from Embassies, International Auto Associations, Medias, Foreign Auto Enterprises and Foreign Buyers were invited to attend the exhibition either as exhibitors or visitors. this year, we expect to look for more than 500 professional foreigners to take part in the exhibition.”

off course these trade shows are also widely advertised for the real businessmen in and out of China, but because of (usually) very remote locations of these trade shows, only a few hundred local Chinese businessman make it to the show. one might argue that this is the way to get things going for the first few years of the show, to get the name and some information out there by word of mouth, but still, shouldn’t the selection process for “foreign businessmen” be a little pickier? 

every single person I talked to on my trip (except for C, the friend who invited me) had absolutely no interest for the automotive tire & accessories industry. most people were students (mba / law / language), in hospitality or modeling industries. one of the guys I talked to at dinner said that he actually works at Nokia IT department, responsible for GPS maps of India. why did he and other few hundred people agree to go on this trip? the answer to my question varied from “to get away from Beijing pollution” to “nothing else to do” to “free five star hotel and free food”.

I was a little disappointed to find out that the trade show I was going to with my friends this time was not as big or as important as the one in the Dalian story. it was the 5th annual exhibition and no business cards or major roles were given out. we still got ourselves squeaky clean rooms in a five star hotel for the weekend in the middle of nowhere, fantastic buffet selection 3 times a day, business passes to the trade show (which was actually quite interesting from the professional point of view) and all the transportation for free.

maybe next time at a different trade show I will be a little luckier to play a more important role in the inside China games.