New Law in China Delays Launch of Mobile Games By A Month or More

Mobile game developers may want to think twice about submitting their creations to the Chinese market in the future. As of July 1, all mobile games must be approved by the government before they will be released to the public.

Mobile Games In China Are Scrutinized

To put this news into perspective, the State Administration of Press, Publications, Radio, Film, and Television are scrutinizing mobile games in China. All of the games submitted to their respective app stores will be screened thoroughly, and it will take at last 20 business days before the application is presented to the public. This is quite a long time for something that has never been much of an issue before.

What is even more intriguing is how it makes zero difference as to what type of mobile game is being submitted. Story-based mobile games will face even more scrutiny, though, as the government wants to scan all dialogues for military or political topics. Obtaining the necessary licensing and permits will be a time-consuming process for developers, and one that may not be worth the trouble.

It goes without saying this mobile games vetting process is inefficient and unnecessary. Some people even refer to this news as “something ridiculous only a government could come up with”. Mobile games will go through the hands of provincial authorities, which takes at last five business days to assess completeness and accuracy of the application.

Once the authorities have formed a written recommendation, they forward it to SAPPRFT. That particular entity will take another ten work days to cast a final judgment, which means the game is either approved or declined. Afterward, the decision is sent back to provincial authorities, who will then inform game developers within the next three business days of the outcome. An entirely backward solution to say the least, and one which will annoy many developers.

Getting approval does not mean developers are out of the woods yet, though. Developers need to get in touch with provincial authorities within seven business days after releasing their game to the public. Among the details, they need to provide all download locations, when the game was launched precisely, and some other information. Moreover, not publishing the game within 20 business days after getting approval forces developers to get in touch with authorities as well.

Source; Tech in Asia.

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