I've heard this but can't really search for verification. Supposedly this law forces all Chinese videogames to be set in fantasy settings. Nothing in the real world.
If this law exists I argue it should be removed. It's holding their industry back from making any culturally relevant content because nothing can be set in our world, about real lives, people or places. You'll never get a Death Stranding or Metal Gear out of China while it exists. They should untether their industry so it can produce more of cultural relevance.
Can anyone verify?
The whole “chinese government censored skeletons” shit is false. It’s self censorship by the companies because chinese culture includes a lot of superstitions, and it would be unprofitable to offend your market. Western gamers got upset at Ubisoft for removing blood from China’s Rainbow 6 release, but the government never mandated it and it was Ubisoft’s decision lol.
You can see examples of superstitions having some influence on government decisions, though. In one video about pharmaceutical drug price negotiations, the government official insists that the company lowers the offered price because the number references death which is bad luck which may lead to people avoiding an otherwise life saving drug.
I saw that video of the drug price negotiation and it seemed to me more like he was just a really good negotiator than actually superstitious
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