Breaking: Chinese government rejects World of Warcraft, again
by Seraphina Brennan 
Nov 2nd 2009 at 6:15PM
Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Business models, Culture, MMO industry, News items
A regulator from the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) said today in an online statement that the game was in "gross violation" of Chinese regulations and they have returned the company's application to operate "The Burning Crusade" (Yep, that's right, they said The Burning Crusade and not Wrath of the Lich King) in China. NetEase has responded that they have not received official word from the governing body of their intent. As of this posting, Battle.net China is still accepting registrations for World of Warcraft.
Analysts aren't surprised that the game has been targeted by the GAPP, as the branch of the government was displeased over World of Warcraft going back online thanks to the approval from the Ministry of Culture. Essentially, the game is locked in a battle between the two wings of the government as the GAPP works to tighten its control over content in online games.
The lockdown of service has affected NetEase and Activision in the stock market, pushing them down 2.4% and 4.3% of their stock values respectively.
Update: Added links to the GAPP's statement, NetEase's official response, and corrected wording in the first sentence to show World of Warcraft China is still running.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
xslipperyx said on 6:25PM 11-02-2009
I heart China.
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breezer said on 6:25PM 11-02-2009
Any word on what exactly they find objectionable?
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Flolah said on 6:38PM 11-02-2009
I found some websites that had articles on this issue, and the content that had to be altered to fit some odd regulations for Chinese market:
http://news.mmosite.com/content/2009-07-29/20090729175936714,1.shtml
Graill said on 7:05PM 11-02-2009
Its WOW, and its made and owned by the French, what more needs to be said?
breezer said on 7:36PM 11-02-2009
Wow! The reaction from the Chinese is fascinating!
I would have guessed that it's dangerous for them to speak out like they have. They were very unhappy (and very vocal) about the game being censored. I can't imagine what they must be feeling now...
They say there's an American doctor in China who has influenced the government by telling them WoW is a drug (and they shouldn't allow it to be played it til they're 35).
What kind of American eggs on a dictatorship to oppress their people?
Also fascinating are the reasons behind the changes to the game. They are not what I was expecting at all! I've known about undead models being different for a while, I always thought it was some sort of deep rooted traditional thing about bones representing something objectionable in their culture. Turns out, ads with undead were scaring children in subways...
They changed blood effects to black? How does pretending blood isn't red make society more harmonious?
China is so bizarre and so interesting.
Krunomo said on 6:40PM 11-02-2009
I feel sorry for the chinese. Not because they cant play WoW but because their government is clearly retarded. Its 2009 people should be entitled to do what they want without the government cracking down on them like this. Furthermore, this worries me as my home country Australia is pushing towards internet censorship. It's time we get all these politicians from every nation and dump them in a pit of dangerous animals as true world peace will only be accomplished once we purge the world of them.
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Lateris said on 6:55PM 11-02-2009
This is China. Let's not forget all the heads that were put on pikes in the 1960's. It is not a democracy.
Graill said on 7:00PM 11-02-2009
Seems the Chinese do not like the French either........
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Jack said on 7:40PM 11-02-2009
Oh well China.... Now if they only outlaw the game type all together... like when you playing WoW on a USA server you go to jail type of ban.... !!
I am sorry for all the none gold farmer players in China I hope they soon make it even more toony so you can enjoy the game and play it!
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maika said on 7:44PM 11-02-2009
I wish they'd ban it here :p
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rhys said on 8:07PM 11-02-2009
This is part of an ongoing power struggle between separate institutions within the Chinese government, and unfortunately WOW has been caught in the middle. This is similar to when the GAPP announced that all foreign investment in online games was banned. Shortly after that the Ministry of Culture said that the GAPP did not have authority to issue this ruling. Basically, the Ministry of Culture has taken the right to regulate online games away from the GAPP, and the GAPP is pissed. The Ministry of Culture is now saying, in relation to this latest challenge by the GAPP, that the GAPP doesn't have the right to review WOW and that the MOC is still reviewing it.
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=418317&type=Business
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Plastic Rat said on 10:25PM 11-02-2009
Thanks rhys, this really puts everything into perspective. Nice link on the article.
Honestly though, they ought to be doing everything they can to resolve it. This squabbling and posturing is just making the Shanghai government look even more like a bunch of power drunk baboons.
Halldorr said on 8:44PM 11-02-2009
Oh oh that would cut half of WoWs population in half...
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Wjowski said on 9:59PM 11-02-2009
Oh good, now we get to see fanboys gleefully pray and hope for WoW's death, as if that's somehow going to make the shitty MMOs they cling to somehow successful.
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Sibe said on 1:50AM 11-03-2009
'shitty MMOs', because in part WoW made the genre shitty
Wjowski said on 2:10AM 11-03-2009
No, that honor belongs to Everquest, I belive.
UltimateQ said on 10:49AM 11-03-2009
Everquest was a huge springboard for the MMO genre. It may not have been as successful as WoW, but the MMO market was just being born. Have hundreds of thousands of subscribers in the early thousands on a fledgling market is still an achievement. The game deserves proper credit.
I don't pray for the death of WoW, I won't even say it's a bad game. I will say, however, that this Chinese drama is stupid. I tried to think of some brilliant word to describe it, but nope, nothing came to mind. It's just stupid. They need to get over it.
JBFire said on 11:33AM 11-03-2009
Everquest was a landmark achievement for the MMO industry and the fantasy genre in general. WoW has been an achievment for the MMO industry as well.
Both games have been helpful (or detrimental) in their own ways to the medium. This argument you have started on the other hand, has no bearing on the article's topic and is thus pointless and purely trying to bait people. Get some sense.
Wjowski said on 7:29PM 11-03-2009
Uh...'springboard' or not Everquest pretty much introduced every MMO mechanic that we hate.
Snowyjoe said on 12:28AM 11-03-2009
I don't get it.
They host the Olympics and even the International Expo next year... and they ban a video game?
Does China want to have a good image or a bad image for their country?
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