The General Administration of Press and Publication is reported to be carrying out a campaign to investigate and clean up the pre-approval and operation of online games by the end of 2009.
Enterprises that have not acquired an Internet Publishing License for online game operation will not be allowed to publish or operate online games. In addition GAPP will implement an approval management system for the import of online games. Outbound online games that have not been approved, or bodies offering to operate and promote outbound games in mainland China, will be strictly banned. Domestically-produced games that have not been registered before publication will be suspended.
Recently GAPP inspected over 200 online games including web games that are in current operation. Three websites were found to be publishing imported online games without government approval, 26 domestically-produced online games have been found to have added unhealthy content — such as promoting violence, gore, and sex — after the approval or registration, nine domestically-produced online games failed to conform to the publishing procedure, and seven home-made online games did not have a fatigue testing system.
