The Vietnam government’s Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has drafted legislation that could significantly impact that country’s online gamer population.
The proposed measures, according to Vietnam Net, include limiting users to three hours of playtime for particular games, imposing licensing restrictions on the purveyors of online games (to limit the current fragmenting of the online game market) and introducing clear language that would label in-game assets as unconvertible to real-world money.
“Simple and low-tension” games, such as chess, are not addressed in the proposal and would be able to continue to run twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The three-hour restriction on playtime would also be increased to four to five hours per day for games that are cultural or education-based.
To foster home-grown game development, the draft also would require foreign game makers to register titles earmarked for Vietnam one year before their debut.
Public comments on the draft are requested once the proposal hits the MIC website in “the next several months.”
|Via GamerLaw|



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Re: Vietnam Drafting Online Game Restrictions
The proposed measures, according to Vietnam Net, include limiting users to three hours of playtime for particular games, imposing licensing restrictions on the purveyors of online games (to limit the current fragmenting of the online game market) and introducing clear language that would label in-game assets as unconvertible to real-world money.
“Simple and low-tension” games, such as chess, are not addressed in the proposal and would be able to continue to run twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The three-hour restriction on playtime would also be increased to four to five hours per day for games that are cultural or education-based.
This doesn't make one lick of sense. Limit 3 hours for regular games, but limit 5 hours for educational games. To me that is having something against games no matter what. & if the games aren't online, but instead are on discs that don't need the net, then what's the point of putting the time limit on them? So stupid.
"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry
Re: Vietnam Drafting Online Game Restrictions
Limiting game time sucks and really shouldn't be done...but it's not the most unreasonable bill ever. The last part about virtual goods not equalling real world money is actually probably a good idea although i doubt it'll stop the various gold sellers.
The fact that they will request public comments also if pretty good, maybe a compromise can be fostered, like maybe allowing parents to dictate what they want limited for their children or something.
Re: Vietnam Drafting Online Game Restrictions
Wow, now i want to play Battlefield Vietnam and shot some gooks, while listening to Trashmen