中 "Censorship of Games Related to Homosexuality, Japan, and Nazis"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Chinese authorities are tightening regulations on online games. New games featuring homosexuality or related to Japan and the Nazis are subject to censorship.

On the 30th, the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that it obtained a memo recently shared with member companies by a government-supported gaming association in China, stating that "authorities are expected to apply much more specific and strict standards regarding new online game licenses (game service permits within China)."

The reason for the increased regulation by Chinese authorities is their judgment that online games are no longer simple entertainment unrelated to politics. According to the memo, games depicting apocalyptic worlds encouraging killing, or games related to homosexuality or "feminine men," will be subject to censorship.

The memo stated, "Some games have ambiguous moral boundaries and users are supposed to choose between good and evil, but we believe users should not be given such choices." It also added, "If the reviewer cannot immediately distinguish the gender of a character in the game, it may be considered a problem with the character settings and could receive a warning."

Regarding history, it emphasized, "Elements such as characters, maps, and costumes must conform to the mainstream narrative," and "Facts should not be distorted or deliberately cause controversy, nor should established stories about historical figures be altered."

The memo explained that games allowing users to revise history in a virtual world could be particularly problematic if they include content related to Japan and Nazi Germany. It argued that games where users conquer barbarians could be seen as spreading colonialism, and games depicting Japanese warlords could be viewed as glorifying militarism.

In terms of religion, it demanded caution in the use of symbols such as the cross.

Until now, Chinese authorities have issued licenses for 80 to 100 new games monthly, but no licenses have been issued since last month. SCMP reported that "213 Chinese game companies recently signed a pledge to self-ban content deemed politically harmful or historically nihilistic, which authorities disapprove of."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.