“Everything according to plan”
As mentioned earlier, a new Chinese regulation restricts access to video games. Minors are now only allowed 3 hours of play per week, no exceptions. And as if that weren't enough, some well-known companies in the Chinese gaming space, like Tencent, can only offer online services during certain hours.
Many had reasons to oppose these new rules – ranging from beliefs that the restrictions were excessive, to arguments about how it would affect the wider market. If you were worried this would kill the Chinese gaming scene… you might want to reconsider. The policy hasn't even existed for two weeks, and yet the cracks are already beginning to appear.
If the only way to track a gamer's activity is through a gamer's account...why not create a bunch of them and then rent them out to anyone who wants a little more time behind a controller? Tencent has already begun to crack down and prosecute those responsible for the rentals, but the effectiveness of these measures remains to be seen.
Methods to stop attempts to circumvent these rules are already in place, including facial recognition software. This too has its workarounds, but that's to be expected. What we are left with is an escalating arms race between developers and end users, as each tries to outdo the other.
As anyone who has played against young children in PvP games can tell you, they will fall on their face or destroy anything in their path. This unique mix of determination and free time makes the inevitable arms race between young gamers and companies like Tencent particularly interesting. No matter the state of the industry, people will always find new ways to play the games they love.
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