China Bans Streaming “Unauthorized Games.”

In China, it is now prohibited to livestream unauthorized games. This is a new step in the broader crackdown on the gaming industry aimed at cleansing content that the government does not approve of. The country’s National Radio and Television Administration stated that platforms of all kinds must not broadcast games not approved by relevant authorities, as reported by Reuters.

In particular, streams of foreign games or competitions cannot take place without permission, and authorities claim that livestreams must counteract “abnormal aesthetics” and harmful celebrity fan culture.

“For a certain period of time, issues such as chaotic online streaming and teenagers’ passion for games have raised widespread concerns in society, and it is necessary to urgently take effective measures,” the Chinese regulator said.

Daniel Ahmad, senior analyst at research firm Niko Partners, said that while unlicensed games cannot be officially released in mainland China, many of them were promoted on streaming platforms like Huya, DouYu, and Bilibili.

“Earlier this year, Elden Ring became a hit on Chinese game livestreaming platforms, reaching 17.1 million total daily viewers despite lacking a license,” he said.

Last year, China introduced new rules limiting the amount of time, up to three hours a week, that children under 18 can spend on video games, which the Chinese government believes is necessary to combat gaming addiction.

Just this week, the regulator lifted a freeze on new game licenses in China, which happened only after gaming companies made significant changes to their business practices. They were asked to remove violent content that could promote “celebration of wealth” or “worship of celebrities.”

China’s largest gaming company, Tencent Holdings Ltd, has already announced that it will shut down a service that allows Chinese gamers to play unauthorized foreign games on overseas platforms.