Chinese regulators gave the green light to 110 domestic and three foreign video game titles in February, maintaining the high level of monthly approvals since Beijing eased a regulatory crackdown on the gaming industry in 2022.
On Friday, the National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA), the agency responsible for licensing video games in China, announced the list of approved domestic titles for the month, which included the NetEase title Lingshou Adventures.
Among the imported titles to receive approval were the tower defence game Plants vs. Zombies 3 and shooter game Door Kickers: Action Squad.
The number of monthly game licences granted has maintained a high level since last year, with more than 100 approvals each month, except for April and May which had 95 and 96, respectively, according to NPPA data.
The regulatory environment for China’s video game industry has significantly improved in recent years, following a crackdown in 2021 that resulted in an eight month hiatus in the granting of licences. The Chinese government also implemented strict rules on gamers under the age of 18, who can only play between 8pm and 9pm on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and statutory holidays.
In 2024, a total of 1,306 domestic games and 110 foreign titles were approved, an increase from the previous year’s 977 local titles and 98 imported ones, and significantly up from 2022’s 468 and 44, respectively.
In 2019, more than 1,500 local and foreign games were approved after a freeze on approvals in 2018 due to government restructuring. Nevertheless, there were more than 2,000 games licensed in 2018.
