China’s Ministry of Culture (MoC) has ordered online game operators to enhance socialist values in their titles and hire specialised staff to monitor content.
The regulator is keen to stamp out obscene and violent content and limit the likes of virtual marriages and player-versus-player combat, reports Reuters.
"Over this year, China's online game industry has grown at a rapid pace," the MoC said in a statement. "But the current product offerings are not up to standard and the cultural content is lowbrow and having a negative effect on the healthy development of the industry.”
With over 50 million players, China's online game industry is forecast to grow by as much as 50 per cent this year, generating potential revenues of $4 billion.
Earlier this month a separate Chinese regulator, the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP), terminated NetEase's application seeking approval to operate Blizzard’s World Of Warcraft in the country.
In recent months the GAPP and the MoC have been engaged in a “turf war” over control of Chinese game regulations.