With most people thinking that China is the world’s factory (as well as supermarket) since it produces just about everything and anything, including video game consoles, it is rather ironic that the sleeping dragon that has long awakened has a console gaming ban that has been in force for the past 13 years. According to the South China Morning Post, China intends to do away with its ban on console games and hardware, which would mean this will open the doors for the likes of Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft to market as well as sell their consoles in an official capacity throughout China.
The reason behind the 13 year old console gaming ban was attributed to fear that there were violent and “unhealthy” elements in video games, and this might eventually impart to the youth with politically sensitive ideas. Hmmm, how come PC gaming was not banned? To lift the ban on console gaming is not all that simple, however, as it will require the approval of at least seven different ministries, before console manufacturers are able to come into an agreement to set up their factories within the recently proposed free-trade zone that will be located in Shanghai. I am sure that gaming studios cannot wait for this ban to be lifted in a country that has over a billion people living there.
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