China will ban video games featuring same-sex relationships, ‘effeminate’ men and moral choices, according to a leaked memo.
The internal memo from a recent internal training by the state-backed gaming association was revealed by the South China Morning Post, lays out new restrictions for approving video games in China.
According to the publication, the memo said that video games must not be viewed as “pure entertainment”, and should instead convey “a correct set of values”.
Games that feature queer relationships or “effeminate males”, the memo states, should not be approved for release in China.
“If regulators can’t tell the character’s gender immediately, the setting of the characters could be considered problematic and red flags will be raised,” it added.
Games that allow players to make moral choices between good and evil should also not be approved, according to the memo.
“Some games have blurred moral boundaries,” it said.
“Players can choose to be either good or evil… but we don’t think that games should give players this choice… and this must be altered.”
The memo comes as China increasingly regulates its gaming industry, with the government announcing in August that it would be limiting the amount of time minors can play online games to three hours per week.
China recently banned ‘sissy’ effeminate men from TV
The leaked memo marks the latest move by China to crack down on the perceived decline of traditional “masculinity”.
Last month, China announced that “sissy” effeminate men would be banned being on TV, insisting broadcasters must only “vigorously promote excellent Chinese traditional culture”.
The official instruction was issued to broadcasters in China as part of a “national rejuvenation” campaign by president Xi Jinping to enforce traditional “morality” by tightening government control of business and society.
The government said broadcasters must “resolutely put an end to sissy men and other abnormal aesthetics” on screen.
Quora_Reddit on October 2nd, 2021 at 16:43 UTC »
The complete game censorship requirements is here, there are something did not mentioned in the article.
Cannot force players to spend money. Cannot re-skin or re-release old games. Lootboxes are strictly prohibited.
Games should not be anti-social and anti-human. Games should have its own moral system
For example, the purpose of "Plague Inc." is to kill all mankind, which is express numerically. That can not feel the sense of morality as a human.
For example, "This War of Mine": "In the game, ordinary people in a war have to do whatever it takes to survive, no matter how immoral their actions are. Such as looting supplies from the home of an elderly person, and when you visit again in a few days, you'll discover the corpse of the elderly person. Moral dilemma such as this is not suitable for a player to make through a video game."
Religious symbols should not appear in games.
Use Cthulhu mythological elements with caution. For example, "human values in the universe are meaningless", "human beings cannot not defeat nature at all" and so on.
In "Civilization VI", encouraging the elimination of "barbarians" is actually a colonial mentality, lacking a view of good and evil
If Manchukuo was established, Germany expands ahead of schedule, it is not allowed. That goes against the real historical process.
'Japanese-inspired games have resulted in fans who know more about japanese history than chinese history,'
Chinese historical/mythological figures being depicted in a japanese fashion instead of the chinese fashion (i.e. characters from romance of the three kingdoms);
'beautification of japanese culture and nationalism' (The censor officer specifically mentioned 'someone say kaga is their waifu'); (Kaga is Japan's aircraft carrier during World War II, it was later adapted into the image of a beautiful girl in anime. The CCP believes that Japan is beautifying its militarist history.)
Games with names written in japanese-ified chinese (i.e. where a phrase is different between chinese hanzi and japanese kanji, but the name is written in the kanji style).
texasspacejoey on October 2nd, 2021 at 13:13 UTC »
There goes like every Japanese game ever
KillDogforDOG on October 2nd, 2021 at 11:50 UTC »
Games that feature queer relationships or “effeminate males”, the memo states, should not be approved for release.
If regulators can’t tell the character’s gender immediately, the setting of the characters could be considered problematic and red flags will be raised.
Games that allow players to make moral choices between good and evil should also not be approved.
“Players can choose to be either good or evil… but we don’t think that games should give players this choice”
WTF, under these conditions they can put any game under their discretion or whim under the hammer.