The decade-long ban on game consoles sales may be eased, according to sources in China’s Ministry of Culture.
Due to fears of the potential harmful impact on young people, seven Chinese ministries collectively banned the production, sale and import of game consoles in 2000. Now Chinese authorities are believed to be reviewing the ban and considering opening up the domestic video game hardware market.
Over the past thirteen years, console manufactures including Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony have made several attempts but failed to find a way to enter the Chinese games market legally.
In the interim, Sony has set up a branch in China’s Guangdong province to conduct training, research and development work. In October last year, Microsoft also introduced its Kinect, a controller-free game console, in China. But according to Microsoft, the Chinese version of the Kinect is not used for entertainment, but other purposes such as medical treatment and education.
