According to Shanghai Information Services Association, Shanghai will soon introduce a computer game service rule to regulate the online games market and ensure the interests of both the game players and the game operators.
Drafted by SISA, the Network Game Service Rule is said to be the first local standard related to computer games. The rule asks game operators to explain to game players, why they can't access a certain game if they want to stop the players from playing the game and keep a record of any infringements or disputable behavior as evidence for the inspection department concerned.
In addition, the Rule raises a lot of requirements for game operators, for example, it requires that a game operator's full time employees must account for over half of the total number employees and the game operator must have a fixed venue to provide service. The rule says that game operators must provide no less than eight hours of communications service each day and this must include the hours between 10:00 and 17:00.
Furthermore, the Rule requires game operators to issue a notice to players when it wants to stop the players' access to the games and advise them within seven days via email about freezing of their accounts.
However, the Rule does not cover in detail a game operator stopping using a game. This may mean that the game operators are still taking a dominant position in dealing with the disputes with players on stopping a game service.
The latest report shows that China will probably overtake the United States to become the world's largest network game market.
