jfid – At a time when the Chinese government is issuing strict new regulations on the use of mobile devices for teenagers and restrictions on game licenses, the impact extends to the entire global gaming industry.
This is because China is one of the largest gaming markets in the world, and any changes in their gaming ecosystem have rippled effects around the world.
Data from IDC and Data.ai firms reveals surprising trends in the gaming industry. Consumer spending on games, especially mobile games, has decreased since 2021. It is estimated that by the end of 2023, global game spending will reach “only” US $ 108 billion or around Rp 1,645 trillion.
This figure represents a decrease of 2% compared to 2022. This is a significant development, especially if we compare it to 2021, which saw record spending on mobile games almost reach US$ 120 billion.
However, not all segments of the gaming industry experienced a decline. PC/Mac games and home consoles still recorded slight growth of 3% and 4%, respectively.
However, handheld games such as Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck experienced a drastic decrease in spending, with a projected decrease of 20%.
China’s regulations relating to the use of mobile devices for teenagers present strict regulations. Teenagers are only allowed to play games for 3 hours per week on weekends, between 08.00 to 21.00 local time. It’s a move aimed at controlling the time teens spend online and ensuring a focus on education and mental health.
In addition, the Chinese government also imposes restrictions on game licenses that have an impact on the distribution and collection of games that can be officially present in the Bamboo Curtain Country. This hinders the global gaming industry in terms of access to the highly lucrative Chinese market.
Not only that, the Chinese government has also tightened regulations related to games that can be aired on game streaming platforms. One regulation that has attracted attention is the prohibition of broadcasting content from games that have not received an ISBN license from the government.
In addition, game streaming platforms are required to have a stricter supervision system on content uploaded to their platforms, including comments from viewers.
It is important to note that the impact of this regulation does not only affect the gaming industry. The esports industry will also feel the impact, and this impact may happen sooner than expected.
As many esports players and competitions rely on streaming platforms to gain popularity, strict regulation in this regard could change the landscape of the entire industry.
So, China’s regulation of mobile device use for teenagers and restrictions on gaming licenses have brought about major changes in the gaming industry, both locally and globally.
This is a wake-up call for players in the industry to stay alert to these significant changes and look for ways to cope and adapt to the ever-changing conditions in the ever-dynamic gaming ecosystem.
