Audit Department Denies Not Issuing Game Registration Numbers

Chinese media outlet chinastarmarket.cn reported on Monday that the stop of issuing new game registration numbers is the major negative factor in the game industry, instead of the strengthened regulations on teenagers’ game anti-addiction and game themes such as doomsday scenarios, feminization and homosexuality.

Affected by this report, the stock prices of game companies, including Bilibili, Kuaishou, Tencent, and 37Games, fell 9.59%, 7.29%, 5.23%, and 6.46% respectively.

The National Press and Publication Administration replied to Sina Tech that “there is no clear response to this report, but we are still receiving the application of game registration numbers normally.” More specific information would be issued on its official website, the administration added.

The latest announcement of games approved by the administration was issued on July 22, 2021. Since then, there have been rumors saying that a new version for the regulation of game registration numbers will soon be implemented.

Last week, it was rumored that the new rules would forbid the approval of 2D and cyberpunk games. Some users on Chinese job information sharing platform, Maimai, who were certified as employees of Lilith Games, said that a 2D mobile game project they were developing had fallen through, leading to layoffs in the department.

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Rumor has it that, at present, games for review need to be evaluated from five different aspects, and only games that score more than 30 points in their evaluation can be put in the queue for registration number approval. Some specific game categories are now facing stricter review.