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China bans effeminate gender portrayal in video games

Regulators raise concern about the portrayal of men in video games and pop culture in general

Authorities in China have been trying to regulate certain sections in the gaming industry and finally have imposed a ban on the “effeminate” gender portrayal in video games. A few big gaming giants took yet another hit after the last affair where a State-run media outlet called online video games a “Spiritual Opium”. Since then the gaming time of minors has been reduced to just an hour a day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday amidst other changes to combat gaming addiction amongst youth.


Gaming giants of China advised to avoid unmanly gender potrayal in video games

Tencent Games collaboration serious games, China measures video game addiction
Tencent Games, one of the companies severely hit by these measures

As a result of this ban, regulators have taken a jab at the portrayal of men in video games, something which was expected after they criticized popular pop icons for the same. Tencent and NetEase were also among the gaming companies summoned by regulation agencies who want them to move away from while working on games.

The solitary focus of pursuing profit and not include “obscene and violent content” and avoid “unhealthy tendencies”, such as money-worship and effeminacy.

Tencent and NetEase , Popular Video Games developer and publisher

Shares have dropped massively for many gaming companies in China

Tencent’s shares dipped by 6.7%, losing $60 billion while NetEase and Bilibili inc. also suffered a similar fate, and their shares fell by 7.7% and 5.9% respectively. These shares are still falling as investors still continue to be really skittish.

China video games gender portrayal ban
Tencent share drops heavily after the ban

It’s important to understand that at present, China has a really different culture from the rest of the world and the progressive nations. Doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad but it is what it is and a lot of these decisions are coming from the Conservative members of the government.

China is still an authoritarian government where the government has all the power to make these moves without facing much if any resistance at all. People are definitely not too happy but Chinese regulators seriously seem really committed to forming the youth into their idea of model citizens.

That being said, this was yet another step that really seemed to cement the fact that video games, especially for minors henceforth are going to be really heavily monitored and restricted while game companies will have to play with really small boundaries in China.

What are your thoughts on the ban of such gender portrayal in video games in China? Do let us know in the comments below!

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So Happy

can it be? is China finally doing something I approve of? This is excellent news, I am so tired of sissies in video games and now they have to release games without feminized males in order to release the game in China, a massive video game market. Woo, I am about to type words I never thought I would type: Thank You China!!!

Find another hobby

Video games are so tired of gamer like you

Jen-Ping

This is just wow!

Richard Tuckson

This is good news. China is trying to avoid to become the next San Francisco

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