As China enters its eight-day Lunar New Year holiday starting on the 28th, it has been revealed that the total available online gaming time for minors under 18 during this period is only 8 hours. It is impossible to binge play in one day, and they can play just one hour each day between 8 and 9 p.m. Even when expanding to the 30 days of winter vacation, including the Lunar New Year, the total gaming time is limited to 15 to 16 hours. This is intended to strictly prevent online gaming addiction among minors, but there are criticisms regarding loopholes, such as using parents' identification information, as well as concerns about excessive infringement on freedom.
According to The Beijing News on the 26th, Tencent, China's largest gaming company, recently released the '2025 Winter Vacation and Lunar New Year Minor Play Limit Calendar.' The winter vacation for elementary, middle, and high school students in China is from the 12th to the 16th of next month, which includes the Lunar New Year (January 28 to February 4). According to the calendar, from January 13 to February 13, minors in China can only play games for a total of 15 hours over 32 days. Binge gaming in one day is impossible, and they can play only one hour each day between 8 and 9 p.m. Last year, during the same period, 16 hours of gaming were allowed over 34 days.
Another gaming company, NetEase, has similar restrictions. NetEase announced that from January 15 to February 14, minors can use games for 16 hours over 31 days. NetEase stated, 'Parents can search for and follow the "NetEase Minor Protection Platform" on WeChat (China's leading messenger), and after clicking on 'Game Management' in the menu, they can instantly check and manage their child's game time and spending.' It is also possible to block cash top-ups for their children.
The restrictions on gaming for minors stem from the 'Strict Management Reinforcement Notice for Preventing Online Gaming Addiction among Minors' (hereafter referred to as the Notice) implemented since 2021 by the National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) of China. According to this notice, all online gaming companies can provide gaming services to minors only for one hour each on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays between 8 and 9 p.m.
The online gaming real-name system was fully implemented in China starting at that time to verify the age of the users. At that time, the NPPA explained, 'The issues of abuse and addiction to online gaming among minors are prominent, negatively impacting their normal lives, studies, and healthy growth,' and added that the aim is 'to decisively prevent online gaming addiction among minors and effectively protect their physical and mental health.'
The Chinese government believes that these policies are yielding effective results. According to the '2024 Report on the Protection of Minors in China's Gaming Industry' published by the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association's Game Working Committee, the percentage of minors who played games for more than 3 hours a week last year was recorded at 24.9%. This is a decrease of 12.3 percentage points compared to the 37.2% recorded in the same survey in 2021. Additionally, 59.04% of minor gamers reported that they had not overcharged on online games in the past year, and 28.8% answered that their average top-up frequency per month was less than once.
However, many responses indicate that these regulations are lacking in effectiveness. A netizen on China's largest social media platform, Weibo, commented, 'Kids who really want to play will find a way around it,' receiving over 400 likes. It is noted that many use their parents' or grandparents' phone numbers and identification to play games, and there are also instances of enjoying different games outside of online gaming. There are criticisms that setting specific dates and times is an excessive restriction on freedom. One comment that garnered significant support said, 'I'm really glad I was born in a time without game time restrictions and am now an adult.'