China To Clamp Down On Online Games

The Chinese government plans to implement stricter controls over online gaming due to growing fears of internet addiction. 
Reuters reports that an industry survey shows the number of online gamers in China rose by 23 per cent to 40.17 million last year, with the number of regular subscribers rising by 30 per cent.
This growth has not gone unnoticed by the Chinese media and there have been reports of a rise in internet addiction.
“Although China’s online gaming industry had been hot in recent years, online games are regarded by many as a sort of spiritual opium and the whole industry is marginalised by mainstream society,” said Kou Xiaowei, a senior official with the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP).
“If we don’t make adjustments, the industry will suffer sooner or later.”
The news follows reports earlier in the year that the GAPP plans to close online games that do not operate the fatigue system, in which experience points in games are linked to the amount of time gamers have been playing.