China Planning to Ban Gacha Mechanic in Online Games

[Project45_Opytny]

This isn't a clickbait! Though also largely irrelevant with all Global gamers.

 

https://www.nppa.gov.cn/xxfb/tzgs/202312/t20231221_823187.html

A few hours ago, the State Press and Publication Administration of China has announced a draft regulation on online games that operates legally in China. In the Exposure Draft, many familiar aspects of gacha system, also familiar for WoWS gamers, will be banned by explicit order (Articles 18 and 27):

Spoiler

第十八条【限制游戏过度使用和高额消费】
网络游戏不得设置每日登录、首次充值、连续充值等诱导性奖励。
网络游戏出版经营单位不得以炒作、拍卖等形式提供或纵容虚拟道具高价交易行为。
所有网络游戏须设置用户充值限额，并在其服务规则中予以公示，对用户非理性消费行为，应进行弹窗警示提醒。

Daily login rewards, bonus for first cash purchase, auction of in-game items or excessive hyping for in-game items would be altogether banned. There should exist a published maximum cap for one user to purchase in game items, and there should be pop-up warnings for impulsive purchases.

Spoiler

第二十七条【随机抽取】

网络游戏出版经营单位在提供随机抽取服务时，应对抽取次数、概率作出合理设置，不得诱导网络游戏用户过度消费。同时应为用户提供虚拟道具兑换、使用网络游戏币直接购买等其他获得相同性能虚拟道具和增值服务的方式。

Chances for "winning", and draws needed to win desired rewards from a random draw should be sensible and steer clear from inducing excessive purchasing.

Other ways, like direct purchase with in-game tokens should be provided for players to acquire in-game items and premium services with the same performance (that basically means selling overpowered rare ships only through loot boxes and Black Friday events will be banned; the said ships should either be openly available for purchase by everyone, or become inaccessible for everyone that hasn't purchased them when being on sale for good).

 

Of course, only games that operate "legally" in China (including World of Warships CN server/Zhanjian Shijie) will be affected. Global servers and Mir Korabli has always been accessible despite the said regulations.

[I_cant_Swim_]

I heard about this in the news this morning here in Germany. I guess the games studios will provide local adaptations rather than global change. Well, pretty sure thing, really. 

[Wolfswetpaws]

Thanks for sharing the news @Project45_Opytny.  🙂 

Edited December 22, 2023 by Wolfswetpaws

[Frostbow]

3 hours ago, Project45_Opytny said:

Daily login rewards, bonus for first cash purchase, auction of in-game items or excessive hyping for in-game items would be altogether banned.

Yes.

3 hours ago, Project45_Opytny said:

There should exist a published maximum cap for one user to purchase in game items, and there should be pop-up warnings for impulsive purchases.

Yes.

3 hours ago, Project45_Opytny said:

Chances for "winning", and draws needed to win desired rewards from a random draw should be sensible and steer clear from inducing excessive purchasing.

Yes.

3 hours ago, Project45_Opytny said:

Other ways, like direct purchase with in-game tokens should be provided for players to acquire in-game items and premium services with the same performance (that basically means selling overpowered rare ships only through loot boxes and Black Friday events will be banned; the said ships should either be openly available for purchase by everyone, or become inaccessible for everyone that hasn't purchased them when being on sale for good).

Very much a yes.

[MysticalWar]

Just found out more info on this affecting all online games including Tencent.

World's biggest games company loses $40 billion as new Chinese laws hit

New rules meant to deter gaming and microtransactions in China have had a huge financial impact on Tencent and NetEase.

Chinese regulators have announced new rules that will outlaw certain in-game rewards and decrease how much money people can spend in a video game.

In 2021, China went as far as to ban everyone under the age of 18 from playing video games, outside of one hour on weekends and during holidays. Although those rules officially ended last year, there have been continued attempts to discourage in-game spending ever since.

Chinese regulators have now tightened its grip on gaming further, and that’s ended up slashing the market share of two of the country’s biggest games company – one being the biggest games company in the world: Tencent.

The changes state that online games will be prohibited from giving players rewards if they log in every day, if they spend on the game for the first time, or if they spend several times on the game consecutively.

Games will also be required to set limits to how much money players can add to their digital wallets for in-game spending, and companies can’t offer probability-based features to minors, according to the draft put forward by The National Press and Publication Administrations.

 

I just hope they don't Nerf World of Warships too badly.

[Wolfswetpaws]

  
 

[New_Jersey_prpr]

8 hours ago, MysticalWar said:

I just hope they don't Nerf World of Warships too badly.

Don't need to worry about it too much.

A Chinese saying is “上有政策下有对策”, which means when some policy (restriction) is out, the affected people/company will always try to find another way to go around it.

For example, buying something related to random mechanic directly is already banned in China, so game company let people buy some in game currencies and then people can use that currency to buy things they want.

WG already put this in practice when selling Christmas containers in CN server.

However the stock prices for Internet companies has indeed dropped significantly due to that policy.

Edited December 23, 2023 by New_Jersey_prpr