China ends video game freeze by approving first titles since July

Beijing’s far-reaching tech crackdown – which has ensnared sectors from ecommerce to fintech and even online education – spread to online gaming in August, when regulators introduced stringent measures capping play time for minors and imposed new requirements aimed at curbing addiction. — AFP

China has approved the first batch of new video game licenses since July, ending a months-long hiatus that put the world’s largest mobile gaming arena on edge.

The National Press and Publication Administration published a list of 45 domestic titles on its website late on April 11, confirming an earlier Bloomberg News report. Industry leaders Tencent Holdings Ltd and NetEase Inc were noticeably absent from a lineup that included a Baidu Inc game, XD Inc’s Flash Party and iDreamSky Technology Holdings Ltd’s Watch Out For Candles.