State Department: Game console production and sales will be fully lifted

On January 29, the State Council issued the "Circular on Promoting China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Pilot Zone's Pilot Experience of Copying Reforms" (hereinafter referred to as the "Notice"). The reporter learned from the “Notice” that the “Ministry of Foreign-funded Enterprises is allowed to engage in the production and sales of game amusement equipment and will be sold to the domestic market after the review of the contents of the cultural department”. The Ministry of Culture will be responsible for this reform and will be promoted nationwide. This means that China will fully lift the production and sales of domestic game console equipment.

According to report, China's ban on game console equipment began in June 2000. At that time, the General Office of the State Council forwarded the "Opinions on the Special Administration of Electronic Game Venues" issued by the 7 departments of the Ministry of Culture, etc., and began to address the governance of the domestic game console market. The "Opinions" stated above stipulate that "since the publication of this opinion, domestic production of video game equipment and its parts and accessories will cease immediately. Any enterprise or individual may no longer engage in domestic-oriented electronic game equipment and its accessories and accessories. Production and sales activities."
In September 2014, the State Council issued the overall plan for the Shanghai Free Trade Zone. According to the plan, the Shanghai Free Trade Zone allows foreign-funded enterprises to engage in the production and sale of game amusement equipment, and game entertainment equipment reviewed through the contents of the cultural authority can be sold to the domestic market. This means that China's ban on game consoles for more than 10 years starting in 2000 has basically been lifted. At present, both Microsoft and Sony have already launched relevant gaming devices.