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China To Force Changes To 20 Popular Games, Ban 9 Including Fortnite and PUBG (bbc.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the BBC: A panel of censors set up to vet mobile video games in China has signaled it will be hard to please. State media reports that of the first 20 titles it assessed, nine were refused permission to go on sale. The Xinhua news agency added that developers of the other 11 had been told they had to make adjustments to remove "controversial content." The authorities have voiced concerns about the violent nature of some titles as well as worries about the activity being addictive.

It was announced in August that a new body -- the State Administration of Press and Publications -- had taken over responsibility for approving games and that it would limit the number of online titles available. And although it has not been specified, some experts are assuming that the new panel will operate under its auspices. Xinhua said it is comprised of gaming experts, government-employed researchers, and representatives from the media and video games industry. But it provided no other information about who they were or the titles they had already examined.
UPDATE: The list of games being examined by the ethics panel has been revealed by users on NGA, a Chinese gaming forum. A number of games, such as League of Legends, Overwatch, Diablo, and World of Warcraft, will need "corrective action," while others will be "banned/withdrawn" entirely. Some of the most popular prohibited titles include Fortnite and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG).

9 of 183 comments (clear)

  1. Don't Sell to China... by Zurkeyon3733 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Terrible, barbaric, tyrannical governments that censor every little thing, should be CUT OFF FROM THE WORLD. Sell them NOTHING. Change NOTHING for them. Tell them take it or LEAVE it.

    1. Re:Don't Sell to China... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Some pinko lefty?!

      The pinko lefties are cheering for censorship these days. They've been crusading against women showing any kind of skin harder than ISIS.

    2. Re:Don't Sell to China... by Opportunist · · Score: 1, Insightful

      But ... but ... but profit! Why do you hate capitalism?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    3. Re:Don't Sell to China... by NettiWelho · · Score: 4, Insightful

      They'll start doing it on holiday before their gov cracks down on foreign holidays.

      The new social credit score system keeps the ones in the country who might be interested in such things. Disagreeing with government bans you from using any kind of mass transit, loan or even your kids access to school.

  2. Re:Maybe they are right this time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Man, authoritarians on all sides. Sucks to be a normal person who just wants to be free.

  3. Re:Maybe they are right this time by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If you are talking in terms of "they are right this time", i.e. "I'm against banning things... except the stuff I don't like", then perhaps you need to read up a bit about what human rights are and why we have them.

    --
    If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
  4. Re:Maybe they are right this time by Holi · · Score: 1, Insightful

    OK, comparing a fucking video game ban to human rights violations is fucking ridiculous.

    "It's about China dictating what kind of entertainment will be produced for you"

    Really? how many video games are produced in China that make it to the world market?

    --
    Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
  5. Re:Maybe they are right this time by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Man, authoritarians on all sides. Sucks to be a normal person who just wants to be free.

    Freedom has been taken for granted many places in the world for a few generations. We're probably overdue our cheque. The bill will probably be another generation of young people losing their lives.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  6. If addiction is a concern by nehumanuscrede · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It seems China has the same issues the United States has in that folks with kiddos either:

    1) Don't know how or
    2) Don't want to be bothered

    with actually being a parent.

    The simple fix for that Fortnite addiction is to simply not allow them to play it for excessive amounts of time.

    You know. . . . BE a parent.