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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| China targets video gaming to tackle myopia in children | China targets video gaming to tackle myopia in children |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Chinese authorities have announced plans to control video gaming as a response to rising levels of near-sightedness among children. | Chinese authorities have announced plans to control video gaming as a response to rising levels of near-sightedness among children. |
| Regulators want to limit the number of new online games, restrict playing time and develop an age-restriction system. | Regulators want to limit the number of new online games, restrict playing time and develop an age-restriction system. |
| A report in 2015 found 500 million Chinese suffered visual impairment, nearly half the population over five. | A report in 2015 found 500 million Chinese suffered visual impairment, nearly half the population over five. |
| China is the world's biggest gaming market and shares of local tech firms dropped sharply in response. | China is the world's biggest gaming market and shares of local tech firms dropped sharply in response. |
| The Chinese ministry of education released the new policy plans on Thursday after President Xi Jinping earlier this week called for greater national attention on optical health. | The Chinese ministry of education released the new policy plans on Thursday after President Xi Jinping earlier this week called for greater national attention on optical health. |
| The document blamed the high levels of myopia on a heavy study load, the spread of mobile phones and other electronic devices, and a lack of outdoor activities and exercise. | The document blamed the high levels of myopia on a heavy study load, the spread of mobile phones and other electronic devices, and a lack of outdoor activities and exercise. |
| There is no consensus that gaming is causing myopia but studies have raised it as one possible cause. | There is no consensus that gaming is causing myopia but studies have raised it as one possible cause. |
| There has been a massive rise in short-sightedness around the globe in recent decades, with East Asian countries having the highest rates. | There has been a massive rise in short-sightedness around the globe in recent decades, with East Asian countries having the highest rates. |
| The authorities have, however, recently raised wider concerns about the industry. | The authorities have, however, recently raised wider concerns about the industry. |
| Earlier this month, regulators pulled Tencent's blockbuster video game Monster Hunter World from sale after reporting they had received a number of complaints about the fantasy title. | |
| Last year, another game by the same publisher - Honour of Kings - was described as being "poison" and a "drug" by the People's Daily newspaper, following concerns that children were spending too much time playing it. | Last year, another game by the same publisher - Honour of Kings - was described as being "poison" and a "drug" by the People's Daily newspaper, following concerns that children were spending too much time playing it. |
| Censors had also stopped issuing local video games licences in March, which has caused delays to the release of new titles and new features for existing games. | Censors had also stopped issuing local video games licences in March, which has caused delays to the release of new titles and new features for existing games. |
| Looking abroad | Looking abroad |
| Stocks of Chinese gaming companies plunged on Friday in response to the new policies. | Stocks of Chinese gaming companies plunged on Friday in response to the new policies. |
| Tencent's shares fell more than 5%, wiping more than $20bn (£15.37bn) off its market price. | Tencent's shares fell more than 5%, wiping more than $20bn (£15.37bn) off its market price. |
| The firm is thought to account for 42% of the country's mobile gaming market. | The firm is thought to account for 42% of the country's mobile gaming market. |
| Tencent has, however, just announced plans to form a "strategic alliance" with one of Japan's biggest video games firms, Square Enix - the maker of the Final Fantasy series. | Tencent has, however, just announced plans to form a "strategic alliance" with one of Japan's biggest video games firms, Square Enix - the maker of the Final Fantasy series. |
| This has the potential to further reduce Tencent's reliance on its home market. | This has the potential to further reduce Tencent's reliance on its home market. |
| It already owns stakes in Fortnite's maker Epic Games, Assassin's Creed's developer Ubisoft, Call of Duty's owner Activision-Blizzard, and League of Legend's Riot Games, among others. | It already owns stakes in Fortnite's maker Epic Games, Assassin's Creed's developer Ubisoft, Call of Duty's owner Activision-Blizzard, and League of Legend's Riot Games, among others. |
| "More Chinese companies will be looking at international markets as a way to offset regulatory challenges in the domestic market," commented industry analyst Piers Harding-Rolls from the IHS Markit consultancy. | "More Chinese companies will be looking at international markets as a way to offset regulatory challenges in the domestic market," commented industry analyst Piers Harding-Rolls from the IHS Markit consultancy. |