Tencent, NetEase miss out again as Chinese government approves third round of video game licences
- After a nine-month freeze, regulators have approved a total of 257 video games to be published in China
China’s gaming regulator has licensed a new batch of video games as the government body resumes work after a nine-month freeze, but titles from Tencent Holdings and NetEase are still absent from the list.
The State Administration of Press and Publications (SAPP) on Tuesday published a list of 93 approved titles – the first batch of domestic games the regulator reviewed this year and the third since it resumed licence approvals in December.
That put the total number of approved game titles to 257 since March last year amid a government restructuring.
Licence approvals tend to be granted in the order they are received so titles from Tencent and NetEase may still be on a waiting list.
“Overall, licence approvals are faster and bigger in number than market expectation,” said Xiang Wenqian and Gao Baowen, analysts with Shanghai-based Orient Securities, in a research note. “We are certain that the industry is turning positive.”