Summer Holidays (Almost) Without Online Games; This is How it's Done in China

The hopes of underage gamers in China have been dashed. Rumors that online gaming time limits would be loosened over the vacations have turned out to be untrue.

1. Currently China has a limit of playing online games - only three hours a week (one hour each on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays) for those under the age of 18.
2. Some time ago there were rumors that the limits would be loosened during the summer vacation, allowing for an hour of gameplay each day. Tencent has dismissed these reports, however, suggesting the gamers that being outdoors is a better way to spend their free time.
3. By the end of August this year, Chinese minors will be allowed a total of only 21 hours of online gaming.
4. Tencent warns players not to try to circumvent the limits with adult accounts, as the company uses a facial recognition system to confirm the identity of users.

It is worth adding that in practice these limits apply only to online games. Such limits are impossible to enforce in single-player games without any online feature. Of course, this is little consolation for most Chinese gamers who prefer multiplayer games.

The new limits were introduced last year. Previously, minor players could play for 90 minutes each day Monday through Friday and three hours each day on weekends. Ingenious Chinese were quick to come up with ways to circumvent the restrictions - the web was overrun with services selling and renting accounts. To make it more difficult, Tencent and other companies began using facial recognition technology.

All of these restrictions stem from the fact that Chinese authorities consider gaming to be a pastime that has a harmful effect on young people and leads to addictions. Some media associated with the local government even describe them as "spiritual opium"..

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• China
• Tencent
• children and games