Video game restrictions in China are much stricter than we’re used to seeing in most other countries. What’s more, when it comes to children or those under 18 who occasionally play games, a leading industry body in China boasted this week that restrictions to prevent children from becoming “addicted” to games have been a huge success.
CNG has had remarkable results, according to a new report from Reuters. The report claims that 75% of children in China are following the new guidelines, a high enough number for the industry body to consider the problem solved.
Despite frequent references to minors being addicted to video games in China, that’s not actually the case. It’s a word the government has used as it implements new guidelines and restrictions on when and for how long under-18s can play video games each day. The restrictions include facial recognition technology that locks minors’ phones between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.
In addition to not being able to play on their phones during these hours, children are also limited to just 90 minutes of gaming per day, another limitation made possible by facial recognition. While the restrictions clearly have the desired effect, the crackdown on underage gaming is a double-edged sword. The lack of youth gaming means the industry in China is now facing its first wave of failures in 20 years.