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{{short description|Overview of video gaming in China}}
[[File:China video game market per platform 2015.png|thumb|right|Games market of China by revenue per platform in 2015<ref>{{cite journal|title=USA & China Battle for#1 Top Games Market|journal=Games Sector Report 2015|publisher=Casual Games Association|date=2015-02-04}}</ref>|290x290px]]
The
China
As with other parts of its media, China's government has strong oversight of the video game industry; all new titles go through a governmental approval process to assure that content aligns with the nation's values. In 2018, an approvals freeze due to the reorganisation of China's content vetting agencies caused numerous game releases to be held up. The video game market plummeted for a year. The government also fears the potential for its youths to become addicted to video games, and have required games to include anti-addiction measures. User verification is used to enforce playtime restrictions, which currently limit minors to three hours per week.{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}
==History==
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A report issued in November 2022 by research firm CNG and the China Game Industry Group Committee, both with strong associations with the Chinese regulatory bodies, stated that the steps taken to reduce youth video game addiction had been working, with more than 70% of the country's youth gaming less than three hours a week. The report suggested that the regulatory bodies should be able to back off on the tight restrictions they had placed on publishers like Tencent and NetEase over the prior few years.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/23/china-shows-signs-of-easing-its-intense-crackdown-on-the-gaming-sector.html | title = China is showing signs its intense crackdown on the video game sector is easing | first= Arjun | last = Kharpal | date = November 23, 2022 | accessdate = November 23, 2022 | work = [[CNBC]] }}</ref>
The NPPA issued new proposed rules in December 2023 aimed to further reduce the amount of time citizens play games and reduce in-game spending. These rules would prevent games from having daily or first-time login rewards and limit how much virtual currency that players could keep within in-game wallets. These rules appeared to be directly aimed at MMOs and [[gacha game]]s, both popular titles within China, and as a result, both Tencent and NetEase saw major stock losses at the announcement of these rules totalling $80 billion.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-issues-draft-rules-online-game-management-2023-12-22/ | title = China to curb gaming spend; Tencent, NetEase plunge | first = Josh | last = Ye | date = December 22, 2023 | accessdate = December 22, 2023 | work = [[Reuters]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/tencent-and-netease-lose-80b-in-value-as-china-plans-to-limit-game-spending/ |title = Tencent and NetEase lose $80b in value as China plans to limit game spending | first = Tom | last = Ivan | date = December 22, 2023 | accessdate = December 22, 2023 | work = [[Video Games Chronicle]] }}</ref> The government quickly walked back on these recommendations, and reported let go of the official that had drawn them by January 2024.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-removes-official-after-video-games-rules-spark-turmoil-sources-2024-01-02/</ref>
==Online gaming==
Online gaming in China represents one of the largest and fastest growing [[Internet]] business sectors in the world. As of 2022, China is the second largest market for online games after the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=Top countries and markets by video game revenues |url=https://newzoo.com/resources/rankings/top-10-countries-by-game-revenues |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326135814/https://newzoo.com/resources/rankings/top-10-countries-by-game-revenues |archive-date=2023-03-26 |access-date=6 October 2023 |website=Newzoo}}</ref> In 2023, the country has 668 million internet users playing online games and the industry was worth US$42 billion.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Feng |first=Coco |last2=Deng |first2=Iris |date=13 January 2024 |title=China’s video gaming market ended 2023 battered and bruised, but can world-beating titles and innovation save the day? |url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3248249/chinas-video-gaming-market-ended-2023-battered-and-bruised-can-world-beating-titles-and-innovation |access-date=11 July 2024 |work=[[South China Morning Post]]}}</ref> 53.8% of gamers are male, 46.2% are female.<ref>{{cite web |author=Steven Millward |date=30 April 2024 |title=The Future of Female Gaming in China [Top Market Trends] |url=https://sekkeidigitalgroup.com/the-future-of-female-gaming-in-china |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=11 July 2024 |work=Sekkei Digital Group}}</ref>
Online games in China fall into two primary categories: [[Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game|MMORPG]]s and [[Multiplayer Online Casual Game|MOCG]]s. The former have a predilection for persistent online worlds where hundreds to thousands of game players can interact simultaneously; the latter is a generic term for games played competitively online without the existence of a persistent online realm (games as simple as online [[Mahjong|Ma Jiang]] and online competitive [[card game]]s would fall under this category). In 2011, there were over 100 million Chinese MMO gamers.
Official Chinese statistics regarding online gaming state that as of the close of 2006 revenue from China's online gaming industry reached RMB 8 billion or around {{USD|1.04 billion}}, with earnings reaching around RMB 33 billion or {{USD|4.3 billion}}. Additionally, while [[Japan]]ese, [[United States|American]], and [[South Korea]]n companies have traditionally dominated the market, Chinese developed software now holds a 65% market share on the mainland, with an additional 20 million in revenue generated by users outside of China.<ref name="auto">People's Daily Online. [http://english.people.com.cn/200704/13/eng20070413_366346.html "China's Online Game Industry on a Roll"]. 2007.</ref>
===Games===
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Today, the video game market is dominated by the Tencent Games division of [[Tencent Holdings]], which is estimated to contribute to 46% of the overall revenue in China, and nearly 10% of the global video game market as of 2017, making it the largest video game company in the world.<ref name="uscc"/> [[NetEase]], which contributes to around 15% of overall revenue in China, is the second largest video game company in China, as well as the seventh largest in the world as of 2017.<ref name="uscc" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-03-23|title=Tencent leads the top 25 public game companies with $10.2 billion in revenues|url=https://venturebeat.com/2017/03/23/tencent-leads-the-top-25-public-game-companies-with-10-2-billion-in-revenues/|access-date=2021-08-21|website=VentureBeat|language=en-US}}</ref> Other major players include [[Perfect World (company)|Perfect World]], Shunrong, and [[Shanda]].<ref name="uscc"/>
These companies are noted for having made aggressive investments in foreign video game developers, particularly from South Korea and the United States, and for making strategic agreements with other entities to serve as the China-based operating arm for foreign interests to meet Chinese government regulations.<ref name="uscc"/> Notably, Tencent's acquisitions have included: {{USD|400 million}} to acquire [[Riot Games]] in 2011 to gain right to the online game ''[[League of Legends]]'' and {{USD|8.6 billion}} for [[Supercell (video game company)|Supercell]] in 2016 for its mobile game ''[[Clash of Clans]]''.<ref name="uscc"/> Among major
The 10 largest online game companies by revenue in 2017 are:<ref name="auto1">{{cite web |last=Armstrong |first=Johanna |date=2018-04-12 |title=China's 2017 Game Industry Market Report |url=http://www.youxistory.com/2018/04/chinas-2017-game-industry-market-report.html |access-date=2018-03-12 |work=Youxi Story}}</ref>
#[[Tencent]]: Tencent Games is the Interactive Entertainment Division (aka IED) of Tencent.
#[[NetEase]]: a popular online portal in China, also branched out in the space of MMORPGs with the release of Westward Journey. The game, based on ancient westward travels on the [[Silk Road]] (a popular theme from Chinese developed MMORPGs), has gone through two iterations; it was re-released as Westward Journey II due to numerous problems with the initial release, and its game engine was used to develop [[Fantasy Westward Journey]], which is currently the most popular MMORPG in China (based on PCU numbers).<ref>Gamasutra.[http://gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=13369 "The China Angle"]. April 3, 2007</ref>
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#Elex
#[[IGG Inc.|IGG]]
#[[Alpha Group Co
#Century Huatong Group (owner of [[Shanda]]). [[Shanda]] produces and supports many popular MMORPGs. The company is significant because it introduced a new [[online payment]] system with the release of [[Legend of Mir 2]] in 2001. Instead of charging users for the initial purchase of the game, Shanda gave the software away free-of-charge and decided to charge users for time spent playing in game. This payment system specifically counteracted piracy because the company could maintain easier control over the time users spent in the game, rather than attempt to limit the game's distribution.<ref>Gamasutra.[http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=13170 "The China Angle"]. March 20, 2007.</ref> Shanda maintains a large number of MMORPGs in China developed by Western, Korean and native Chinese companies; the latter two regions produce Shanda's most popular games. The company also maintains numerous casual games as well, with platforms supporting [[chess]] and other non-persistent world games.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20040723033418/http://www.snda.com/en/index.jsp Shanda Entertainment]</ref>
#Kunlun Tech
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Video games are regulated through the government and the [[Chinese Communist Party]] as with [[Censorship in China|most mass media in China]], but further, as video games are seen as a cultural benefit, additional agencies are involved in promoting the growth of video games.
==== Ministry of Industry and Information
The [[Ministry of Industry and Information
Listed here are the ministry's stated objectives involving online gaming:<ref>[https://fas.org/nuke/guide/china/agency/mii.htm Ministry of Information Industry – China Nuclear Forces<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
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The ministry is also responsible for a number of initiatives aimed at increasing the number and prominence of natively produced online games. One example of such involvement is the inclusion of online gaming in the 2006–2010 plan for software and information service development.<ref name="auto"/>
====
The [[General Administration of Press and Publication]] (GAPP)
===Crime===
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{{History of video games}}
{{Economy of China}}
{{Telecommunications in the People's Republic of China}}
[[Category:Video gaming in China| ]]
[[Category:Science and technology in the People's Republic of China]]
[[Category:Chinese culture]]
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