China, home to the world’s largest internet user population, is worried about online game addiction among its younger citizens. As such, the country’s biggest social media and gaming company, Tencent, is limiting play time for younger users of its incredibly popular multiplayer mobile game Honor of Kings.
Also known as King of Glory, Tencent says the title has more than 200 million players across the world. It’s China’s biggest game, boasting 163 million monthly users from the country. And according to Reuters, 40.1 million of them are under the age of 19.
From today, users under 12 will be limited to one hour of playtime per day, while those between 12 and 18 will only be allowed two hours each day. Additionally, those under 12 won’t be able to log in after 9 pm, and Tencent will be imposing restrictions on the amount of money younger players can spend on the game's microtransactions.
“There are no rules to prevent indulgence in mobile games in China, but we decided to be the first to try to dispel parental worries by limiting play time and forcing children to log off,” Tencent said.
The company also plans to push its real-name registration requirement for all users, and will treat anyone who doesn’t provide accurate information as under 12 years old.
While the game is available across most of the world, Tencent didn’t say whether it plans to expand the new measures beyond China.
Last year, the Cyberspace Administration of China proposed banning anyone under 18 from playing online games after midnight. It also wants schools to work with controversial internet rehabilitation centers that reportedly use methods such as electric shocks and physical punishments to “cure” online game addiction.
