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China Develops New System: Gamers Can Only Play for Three Hours

China Develops New System: Gamers Can Only Play for Three Hours

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The Chinese government has decided to take active measures to avoid game addiction. A new system that will prevent people from playing online games for more than three consecutive hours will be mandatory around the end of 2005 or the beginning of 2006.

The new system was developed under the guidance of the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP). After three consecutive hours of game play, the system will cut the ability level of a player in half. After five hours, the system will push the player’s ability level to the lowest level allowed by the game. It will also lower the gamer’s ability to find treasure or prizes after three hours. The system tracks hours of game play, so players who immediately log back onto the game will maintain the same lowered level. Players must be logged off for five hours to begin playing at their previous level.

The GAPP has defined the playing of online games for less than three consecutive hours as “healthy”, three to five consecutive hours as “tiring”, and five consecutive hours as “unhealthy”.

“This timing mechanism can prevent young people from becoming addicted to online games,” Kou Xiaowei, Deputy Director of the Audiovisual and Internet Publication Department of GAPP, said during a press conference.

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