Over 200 of China’s online gaming companies – including the country’s largest game publishers, Tencent and NetEase – have vowed to self-regulate and combat user addiction, the country’s state-backed gaming industry association said, reports The Wall Street Journal. They agreed to implement controls to prevent young players from circumventing game-time regulations and to weed out harmful and illegal content, a step beyond limits introduced by the Chinese government late last month.
Tencent and NetEase didn’t respond to requests for comment from the WSJ. The companies had previously said they would work to implement new regulatory requirements, while assuring investors that minors in China account for a fraction of online game revenue.
In August, China banned those under 18 years old from playing videogames outside three dedicated one-hour time windows every week. The measures are part of a broader effort to curb what Chinese officials consider societal ills, including an addiction to screen time among young gamers.