Technology

China wants content, values censored in online gamesThu Nov 19, 2009 7:38am GMT Email Print Share Single Page[-] Text [+] 1 of 1Full SizeSHANGHAI (Reuters) - China said it will tighten regulations in its rapidly growing online games sector, requiring game operators to enhance socialist values in their games and hire specialized staff to monitor content.
China's Ministry of Culture said in a circular that game operators must re-examine their game offerings for obscene and violent content and limit the number of virtual marriages and player-versus-player combat.
The changes will affect companies such as Shanda Games, NetEase.com and Tencent Holdings.
"Over this year, China's online game industry has grown at a rapid pace," the ministry said in a statement late on Wednesday.
"But the current product offerings are not up to standard and the cultural content is lowbrow and having a negative effect on the healthy development of the industry," it said.
NetEase's Chief Executive Officer William Ding said in an earnings call on Thursday he was not aware of the full details of the circular, but that the firm is willing to comply.
China's online game industry is expected to grow by between 30 percent and 50 percent this year, with a sales revenue of 24 billion yuan to 27 billion yuan ($3.5 billion-$4 billion). It has more than 50 million gamers.
China has been stepping up oversight of the industry. Earlier this month, another regulator ordered NetEase.com to stop operating World of Warcraft, due to "gross violations" of regulations. Top cellphone maker Nokia has seen growing interest among companies for its first netbook or mini-laptop, a company executive said on Thursday.
"When we launched the Booklet 3G ... we thought it to be primarily a consumer device, but after the launch a big, growing interest is coming from companies," Heikki Norta, head of Nokia corporate strategy, told a seminar.
"No one knows yet if a booklet kind of device is the next device that will be used by millions, or hundreds of millions, of people, but right now it looks like, if not for mass market, there is clear demand," Norta added.
Nokia launched its mini-laptop in August, entering a fiercely competitive but fast-growing market, setting the price for the device at 575 euros ($861)