China Bans Organized Crime (Games)
China, known to favor games as a crackdown target, and known to dislike any organized activity not under its direct control, has added "simulated organized crime" to its hit list. On Monday China began banning online games that feature mafiasos, gangs, and my favorite descriptor, "any sort of hooliganism predisposed to organization." That's a winner.
From the New York Times:
On Monday, the Ministry of Culture issued a notice banning online games that feature Mafioso kingpins, marauding street gangs or any sort of hooliganism predisposed to organization.The decree, which promises "severe punishment" for violators but fails to specify the penalties, also prohibits Web sites from including links to Internet games that glorify organized crime.
Such games, the ministry said, "embody antisocial behavior like killing, beating, looting and raping," and their availability "gravely threatens and distorts the social order and moral standards, easily putting young people under harmful influence."
I wonder if hooliganism that's predisposed to disorganization would pass muster. For instance, would Freelance Hitman or Random Rapist fill the void in China left behind by Mafia and GTA?
China Puts Online Games That Glorify Mafia on Its Hit List [NYT via GamePolitics]
tiny dancer
Posted to Miscellany, Video Games on 29 July 2009
· Comments (2)
Other stuff like this: censorship, china, mafia, organized crime
China has too many conditions when it comes to games. They didn't even allowed WoW to be released and wants it to be revised before they approve it. I wonder if Mafia Wars played in Facebook and other social network sites is banned as well?
I love that China's silhouette in that picture looks like a villain's shadow!