Video game publishers could gain direct access to the massive Chinese market following a ruling by the World Trade Organization that China may not invoke culture-based censorship to block foreign media imports such as books, games and movies.
According to Reuters, the WTO ruling came in response to an April, 2007 complaint filed by the United States:
The WTO ruling could potentially affect how foreign video game companies operate in China.
U.S. video game titans such as Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard and Take Two Interactive, are not allowed to operate games directly in China, or through joint ventures with local firms. They instead license games to local operators or co-develop games with local firms.
But the WTO ruling was unlikely to overcome China's determination to govern the virtual landscape, said Dick Wei, vice president of equity research with JP Morgan in Hong Kong.
Comments
Re: WTO Ruling May Offer Game Biz Access to Chinese Market
Well atlease the gaming industry has a stepping stone when it comes to marketing to china.
http://www.magicinkgaming.com/
http://www.killatia.com/
Re: WTO Ruling May Offer Game Biz Access to Chinese Market
Why not return the favor? Since China blocks foreign culture yet wants to promote their own, declare this hypocrisy pathetic and block all game export from China as long as they block other culture?
Re: WTO Ruling May Offer Game Biz Access to Chinese Market
Also http://www.cnn.com/2009/BUSINESS/08/13/us.china.trade/index.html. China has been served.
Re: WTO Ruling May Offer Game Biz Access to Chinese Market
How would the WTO enforce this?
Re: WTO Ruling May Offer Game Biz Access to Chinese Market
Exactly what I was thinking. Embargo on the product? Now you're doing China's work for them.
Re: WTO Ruling May Offer Game Biz Access to Chinese Market
Why not? How can China be part of globalisation and open its doors to massive foreign investment, but pick and choose based on what it sees as a cultural threat?
I guess it's what happens with a one-state government. I'd like to add that I've been to China and the government, in my opinion, wasn't evil or oppressive, as comments to articles like this often give the impression.
Re: WTO Ruling May Offer Game Biz Access to Chinese Market
Hai guyz, I totally went to this place once, so I'm an expert on the government there. kthxbye
Seriously man, denying the oppressiveness of the Chinese government is ignorance of the highest order. It's like going to North Korea and saying that it seems like a totally cool place because you never left the government guided approved tour.
I'll take the hundreds of news reports/studies/stories over your anecdotal evidence.
Re: WTO Ruling May Offer Game Biz Access to Chinese Market
Looking back at my post, I'm sorry if I gave off that impression - I mean that China isn't some Stalin-esque hellhole, with secret government agents constantly watching Westerners or anything similar. There was absolutely nothing like that, beyond registering where I was staying (at a friends) when I sent in my visa application.
Comment sections from here to Eurogamer and IGN contain opinions that China isn't like that. It's not even effectively communist anymore, but it is a one-party state. I've also read plenty of media stories about its human rights issues too.
Re: WTO Ruling May Offer Game Biz Access to Chinese Market
with secret government agents constantly watching Westerners or anything similar. There was absolutely nothing like that
How would you know, they're secret!! "Badum-Tish"
Anyways....
There was an interesting documentary on over here in the UK called Paul Merton in China, he visited a living village/museum on Communism and was a on a tour car with a group of government officials. It's a good example of something that came up time and time again, the locals are fine but a Westerner asking about Communism is not a comfortable subject.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDbmlKjdAXE&feature=PlayList&p=B86E3547178D6A33&index=21