Aug 31 (Reuters) – China’s new rules forbidding under-18s from playing video games for more than three hours a week knocked shares in Tencent Holdings Ltd (0700.HK) and other gaming companies, while young players took to social media to express their outrage.
Beijing said the new rules were necessary to stop growing addiction to what it once described as “spiritual opium”. The People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the ruling Communist Party, said in an article on Monday after the rules were announced that the government had to be “ruthless”.
It’s “indisputable” that indulging in online games affects normal study life and the physical and mental health of teens, the article said. “Destroying a teenager will destroy a family.”
Young Chinese gamers were, however, angry.
“This group of grandfathers and uncles who make these rules and regulations, have you ever played games? Do you…
