Video game sales in China suffered their first drop in 10 years last year as the world’s largest market suffered a resumption of control by authorities, according to a study published Tuesday. This lucrative sector has long seen double-digit growth in the country, fueled by the rise of the Internet and the widespread use of smartphones.
Decrease of more than 10%
But power, which frowns on the time that the youngest dedicate to video games, began in 2021 a vast tightening of regulations that severely penalized the sector. In this context, video game sales in China fell by 10.3% in one year in 2022, according to a report by the Chinese firm Gamma Data to which he refers.
This is the first time since 2013 that the sector’s income has not increased. They still reached 265.9 billion yuan (36.3 billion euros) last year. Companies have been penalized in particular by the freezing for nine months from 2021 of any new licence, required to market a game on the world’s largest market.
The authorities resumed the granting of licenses in April 2022, thanks to an easing in the context of economic slowdown in China. This month alone, 87 games have been given the green light for marketing, the press and publications administration said on Friday.
The absorption of the sector was marked in particular by the drastic restrictions imposed on players under 18 years of age. Your online play time is now limited to three hours per week.
Source: BFM TV
