China Halts Special Approval Process for New Games
- "Green channel" window closure pressures industry even further
- Grey-market game licenses said to sell for as much as $72,000
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China’s regulators have ended the issuance of game licenses through a stopgap approval process, people familiar with the matter said, closing the last known official path for making money from new titles in the world’s biggest gaming market.
Licenses are no longer being granted through a process known as the “green channel,” used for testing both domestic and foreign games, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. The approval mechanism had been in place since at least August, following the government’s decision earlier this year to restructure how it reviews video games for violence, gambling and sensitive topics.