Notice for imported game distribution in China! New policy notice for online game operation in China!
The state requires games to access the new anti-addiction; ID authentication system; privacy policy and user permissions!
|
|
|---|
|
According to the notice of the "National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) on the prevention of minors' addiction to online games" and the notice of the "National Press and Publication Administration on the management of mobile game publishing services", all online games launched in China must implement the ID authentication, underage anti-addiction systems, and regulate the relevant user privacy policies, which are also some of the necessary conditions that we have been constantly emphasized before to be able to obtain ISBN.
|
|
|---|
|
As the number of young Internet users in China rises and the tendency of underage people to play games at a younger age becomes more pronounced, more and more people start realising that the "safe guard" for minors should be taken seriously as soon as possible. As early as 2005, the NPPA issued standards for the development of anti-addiction systems, requiring all online games to introduce anti-addiction systems and introducing the core concept of "three hours of healthy gaming time per day". The NPPA continued to issue on "Preventing Minors from Being Addicted to Online Games" two years ago, providing specific and actionable guidelines on six levels, including limiting game service hours, strict real-name registration, and specifying single and cumulative in-app purchase amounts.
|
|
|---|
|
In 2019, the NPPA issued the Notice on "Preventing Minors from Being Addicted to Online Games" (①Official link attached at the end of the article), after which the State has continued to improve the relevant policies in accordance with the requirements until 1 June 2021 when the newly revised Protection of Minors Law of the People's Republic of China was officially implemented, which has strict and rigid requirements for online games.
|
|
|---|
|
Article 75 of the Law clearly requires that games can only be operated after approval in accordance with the law. The State establishes a unified electronic identity authentication system for online games for minors. Online game service providers shall require minors to register and log in to online games with their real identity information. Online game service providers shall classify game products in accordance with relevant national regulations and standards, make age-appropriate prompts, and take technical measures not to expose minors to inappropriate games or game functions. Online game service providers shall not provide online game services to minors from 22:00 hours daily to 8:00 hours the next day.
|
|
|---|
|
Therefore, this year, the state has unified the standards of "anti-addiction system for minors" and "real name verification", requiring all game enterprises operating games in all domestic channels (including iOS and Android) to complete the national system access by 1 June 2021. The relevant gaming enterprises operating in all domestic channels (including iOS and Android) are required to complete the access to the system at the national level by June 1, 2021, so that the relevant national departments can supervise the data change. Games that fail to complete the system access will be mandatorily removed from the shelves after June 1. (②The official link is attached at the end of the article)
|
|
|---|
|
Meanwhile, the Office of the central cyberspace affairs commission has also issued warnings or taken down some apps that have not implemented user privacy policies as required, and online games are certainly no exception. (③, ④Links at the end of the article)
|
|
|---|
|
As soon as this requirement came out, East2West Games' offices in Xi'an and Beijing were immediately inspected by the relevant departments, and notices were issued requiring its games that had been approved with a ISBN to implement the anti-addiction system and ID authentication system as required, clearly adding the privacy policy, personal authority authentication and other processes, and also inspecting East2West Games' corporate information, user data management measures, measures to prevent the proliferation of illegal online information, information protection, reporting mechanisms and other history of violations. (For more details, please refer to the following chart for some examples of security checklists from the Ministry of Public Security)
|
|
|---|
|
East2West Games has indicated that it is highly cooperative with this policy reform and has completed and passed the above-mentioned inspection. It is now working on the rectification of the anti-addiction, ID authentication, privacy policy and other systems for its authorized online games that have obtained game license numbers, and some of the games have already completed the integration.
|
|
|---|
|
However, there are still some game developers who refuse to cooperate with the implementation, thus, East2West Games hereby solemnly declares:
|
|
|---|
|
If imported games want to be distributed in China and operate legally, they must be given authorization to be distributed by Chinese game publishers. As mentioned in the previous news, foreign companies are not able to apply for China's "telecommunication value-added business license / Internet Content Provider" (ICP) and are not qualified to operate online games in China, and any unauthorized sales on Chinese channels (Android and iOS) are illegal. (⑤Link at the end of the article)
|
|
|---|
|
Secondly, the national anti-addiction system that games are required to access this time must be stored in a domestic operating unit. Foreign developers, development studios and game companies are not deemed as local entity, thus, also unable to access it. Games that cannot access the system as required are also in breach of the relevant provisions of the Chinese Network Security Law and will be punished accordingly.
|
|
|---|
|
As far as we concern, there are still some developers who release game on the App Store China privately, which do not comply with all the above-mentioned regulations, and this also directly affects East2West Games, which has the authorization to operate in the Android channel and has obtained the game version number, and we are ordered to complete the system access as soon as possible for these games as required, otherwise we have to do the shelf treatment, and serious cases will also affect the company and the agency In serious cases, it will also affect the rating of the company and its agents in the relevant departments of the NPPA and the Ministry of Propaganda in the future.
|
|
|---|
|
In order to protect the legitimate rights and interests of East2West Games, we request the developers of these games to give us the authorization for iOS operation, and East2West Games will complete the online regulations and requirements on time, and give the developers a share of the revenue according to the authorization contract with legal effect signed by both parties. If the developers are still unwilling to cooperate, East2West Games can only apply legal measures to forcefully defend their rights and demand the developers to compensate for the losses brought to East2West Games by this operation.
|
|
|---|
|
East2West Games has been deeply rooted in the overseas game distribution business for ten years, and we have a very mature team for both the application of the license number and the porting work. We have cooperated with more than a hundred studios and IPs, and have issued two new game license numbers at the beginning of 2021, and we are committed to bringing excellent games from overseas to the Chinese market.
|
|
|---|
|
If there is an urgent need for overseas developers to publish their games in China, we welcome you to communicate with us at any time, and we can take care of all the distribution and operation of the game in China, synchronise the progress of the work in time, and be transparent about the revenue and share. To ensure that overseas developers can get a long-term income and rely to us, and spent more time on developing the next excellent title.
|
|
|---|
|
East2west Games is a leading publisher for premium game developers with strong presence in China, particularly in Simulation, Puzzle Adventure and Strategy Categories. The Company has provided a One Stop Solution for western partners, from porting, localization, monetization, publishing &marketing strategy in China.
The Company is managed by an industrial veteran team with more than 10 years across with game operation and studio investment.
If you have interest to cooperate with us, please send an email to this account or click here to submit your project to this portal. Looking forward to hear from you. |
|
|---|
|
|
