In China, video games need approval to be shown.
In China, they are currently regulating “video games.” This has positive effects for players: From May 1, all publishers must disclose what is in their “loot boxes” and what chance players have to obtain items.
Can games get approved? Most can’t afford it
But it also negatively impacts them. In China, games must be “approved” by the government.
Publishers like Blizzard have, thanks to Chinese partners, received this approval for their games. Diablo 3 and WoW are licensed, although adjustments had to be made. In China, it is “not allowed” to show bones directly – skeleton models must therefore be covered with “flesh.”
Western games with “offensive content” like GTA Online do not have this approval and probably never will.
The process of getting a game “approved” is complex and expensive, as Tech in Asia explains. Therefore, Chinese indie developers avoid it, even though they wouldn’t have issues content-wise obtaining such licenses for their projects – it’s too costly for them. For other Chinese indie games with “offensive content,” whatever that means to the Chinese government, it is not possible to obtain this approval anyway.
Video game censorship in China is tightening
However, the process used to be circumvented for a long time by indie developers who did not get their games approved and still showcased, promoted, and sold them through streams and Steam. Now the government has enacted a censorship law: Only approved games may be streamed. This was announced on Monday by the Chinese Ministry of Culture.
China has its own streaming network with platforms like Douyu or Panda.tv, with viewers in the tens of millions. This will change the gaming industry in China. It is likely to become significantly more difficult for Western indie games to find success in China now.
In this article, we focus on how Blizzard had to change Diablo 3 to obtain the license in China.
Diablo 3: “Skeleton! Please put something on …” – This is what D3 looks like in China
