According to a report, young people in China have reduced their reliance on video games. The China Game Industry Group Committee, which is affiliated with the gaming regulator, makes the claim.
And it may raise hopes that officials, who once referred to video games as "spiritual opium," will relax the country's strict gaming restrictions.
Children have been prohibited from gaming for more than three hours per week since August 2021.
The gaming industry was also hit by a halt in official approvals for new titles. It was part of a broader crackdown by Chinese authorities on the country's massive technology sector, which includes titans like Tencent, one of the world's largest video-game companies.
The report was co-authored by data provider CNG, which concluded 75% of young gamers now played for less than three hours a week.
Chinese game companies, including Tencent, have achieved "remarkable results", it says.
The Chinese government has blamed rising gaming addiction among young people for diseases like increased "myopia", poor concentration, issues with mental health and sleep problems.
Screen time concerns were heightened by Covid lockdowns and the shift to online learning.
Following the gaming restrictions, Douyin, China's version of TikTok, prohibited children under the age of 14 from using the platform for more than 40 minutes per day.
However, with the arrival of winter and another surge in Covid cases in the country, children are spending more time at home - and some parents have granted them access to their accounts to keep them entertained.
Gaming has also grown in popularity among Chinese adults.
Furthermore, the China Daily newspaper reported this week that many elderly care-home residents are beginning to play online "to strengthen their bonds with their grandchildren."
According to Asian games market experts Niko Partners, the report's backdrop was declining revenues in China. However, founder Lisa Cosmas Hanson predicted a brighter future, citing "momentum in the economy, esports, PC gaming, and enthusiasm among China's 700 million-plus gamers."
"With the restart of game approvals and adjustment to youth regulations at a local level, we are seeing a more positive outlook start to develop," she added.
(Source:www.channelnewsasia.com)
And it may raise hopes that officials, who once referred to video games as "spiritual opium," will relax the country's strict gaming restrictions.
Children have been prohibited from gaming for more than three hours per week since August 2021.
The gaming industry was also hit by a halt in official approvals for new titles. It was part of a broader crackdown by Chinese authorities on the country's massive technology sector, which includes titans like Tencent, one of the world's largest video-game companies.
The report was co-authored by data provider CNG, which concluded 75% of young gamers now played for less than three hours a week.
Chinese game companies, including Tencent, have achieved "remarkable results", it says.
The Chinese government has blamed rising gaming addiction among young people for diseases like increased "myopia", poor concentration, issues with mental health and sleep problems.
Screen time concerns were heightened by Covid lockdowns and the shift to online learning.
Following the gaming restrictions, Douyin, China's version of TikTok, prohibited children under the age of 14 from using the platform for more than 40 minutes per day.
However, with the arrival of winter and another surge in Covid cases in the country, children are spending more time at home - and some parents have granted them access to their accounts to keep them entertained.
Gaming has also grown in popularity among Chinese adults.
Furthermore, the China Daily newspaper reported this week that many elderly care-home residents are beginning to play online "to strengthen their bonds with their grandchildren."
According to Asian games market experts Niko Partners, the report's backdrop was declining revenues in China. However, founder Lisa Cosmas Hanson predicted a brighter future, citing "momentum in the economy, esports, PC gaming, and enthusiasm among China's 700 million-plus gamers."
"With the restart of game approvals and adjustment to youth regulations at a local level, we are seeing a more positive outlook start to develop," she added.
(Source:www.channelnewsasia.com)
