China's Ministry Of Culture has issued a notice, asking Chinese online game operators to enhance content management of their online game products to make those games less violent.
The notice requires online game operators to make new innovative game rules to change the current gaming model, which mainly focuses on raising player levels by killing non-player-controlled enemies. In the online game world, a "player kill" is called a PK. Meanwhile, it states that online game operators should set stricter limits on the player killing and marriage systems to better protect children who are playing those games.
The notice also states that provincial cultural administrative departments should reinforce their supervision over online game products operated by local operators. The supervised contents should include storylines, setting of place names, task designs, economic systems, trading systems, production systems, social systems, customer service systems, combat functions, role designs, sound effects, map tools, action renderings, and team systems. Any content that is against the "Interim Provisions on the Administration of Internet Culture" or other laws of China should be reported immediately.
The notice calls for the self-discipline of Chinese online game companies and urges the construction of national and local online game industry associations to establish a complete industry self-discipline ecosystem and to create a healthy and civilized Internet cultural environment.