China 'Resolves' Gaming Addiction So It May No Longer Need Pesky Industry Regulations

"Solving" gaming addiction sounds as easy as easy as "Solving" alcoholism, but China's state-affiliated body overseeing video games seems about ready to call recent efforts at curbing gaming use among children a "Success." The Financial Times and Reuters both reported that China's state-aligned committee on video games released a report Tuesday that says the country has somehow "Resolved" gaming addiction for minors. The country has had regulations in place since August, 2021 when it tried enforcing a gaming curfew for children that limited them to one hour of gaming on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. China's big game publishers were also given props for their efforts to suppress time spent gaming by minors, according to Reuters' report. The piece reportedly framed gaming as another aspect of China's approach on the world stage, writing that the European Union has given games "Extremely high economic, technological, cultural and even strategic value," essentially arguing China should do the same. The China Game Publishers Association tried to fight back against the outraged game industry by poetically making the point that games were not "Fierce floods or savage beasts" and that the right kind of game could emphasize "Positive energy" for video gamers. The relaxed emphasis on child gaming addiction comes round the bend just as tech giants Sony and Microsoft are looking to do battle over incubating more Chinese-made games.