New Economy Forum
China Freezes Game Approvals Amid Agency Shakeup
- The halt has shaken Tencent as smaller players struggle
- Regulatory administrations are said to be under restructuring
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China’s regulators have frozen approval of game licenses amid a government shake-up, according to people familiar with the matter, throwing the world’s biggest gaming market into disarray.
The halt follows a restructuring of power among departments, said the people, who asked not to be named because they don’t have approval to discuss the issue publicly. Regulators have also been concerned about violence and gambling in some games, according to one person. Online, mobile and console games have all been affected.