The deadline for the new mobile game policy is approaching, and some manufacturers may "go overseas" to make a living

The "Notice on the Management of Mobile Game Publishing Services" (hereinafter referred to as the "New Edition Number" policy) issued by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television officially took effect on July 1. Newly launched games must obtain an online publishing service license (i.e., edition number) before they can be published and operated online; games that have already been launched must obtain the "Edition Number" before October 1.

"It has a huge impact on the entire mobile game industry." Yu Xianwen, CEO of Beijing Tiancizhiheng Network Technology Co., Ltd., a mobile game publisher and operator, said frankly that as far as he knows, in the month from the introduction of the new regulations to their effectiveness, some channels "preemptively" launched more than 300 games every day - manufacturers are hoping for the three months before October to make up for the approval. At the same time, some mobile games have already planned to find another way out - "going overseas."

However, according to statistics, more than 6,000 mobile games have been released this year, and the reporter found out through the official website of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television that only 267 domestic online games (mobile) were approved from January to June this year.

While waiting in line for the "version number" approval, the reporter discovered the presence of companies that are planning to go public and those that are planning to be listed, including Guangzhou Duoyi, Beijing Qingyou Yile Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Qingyou Yile), Guizhou Jinzhi Network Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Jinzhi Network), etc., all of which have products already launched and are in the process of completing the "version number" approval procedures.

Products without "version numbers" will be taken offline

Qingyou Yile is a mobile game developer that is applying for listing on the New Third Board and has launched five products. However, the reporter found that as of July 5, none of Qingyou Yile's five games had obtained an online publishing service license (version number).

In response to the release of the new "version number" policy, the stock transfer system also issued a "Feedback Opinion" to Qingyou Yile, "Please ask the sponsoring securities firm to verify whether the company's games developed have not completed the pre-publishing license and whether there is a risk of being taken offline." Qingyou Yile mentioned in its reply on July 5 that other companies are required to handle the five games on its behalf, and the processing time is at least 30 working days. "The company will try to obtain the pre-publishing licenses for all operating games before October 1." At the same time, Qingyou Yile reminded that if the key operating games are not completed, "it may cause the company's operating income to decline significantly and have a significant impact on the company's sustainable operating capacity."

Guangzhou Duoyi, which was just one step away from a successful IPO, was also affected. In the prospectus submitted on June 16, Duoyi Network stated that some of its online game products were applying for relevant approvals and licenses. If they failed to meet the requirements, "they may be fined, restricted or even terminated, which will have an adverse impact on the company's operations."

There is no expedited approval process

In the three months before the deadline of October 1st to obtain the "version number", how many products can pass the approval process?

According to statistics from DataEye, a third-party pan-entertainment data service company, more than 6,000 games were actually launched in the first half of the year. However, in the first half of 2016, a total of 267 domestic mobile game products successfully obtained the version number. In the first half of this year, the number of products that passed the approval was only 44 per month. On July 7, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television also stated that there is "no so-called 'expedited processing' channel for approval."

After studying the new “version number” policy, a Chengdu game producer told the reporter that he was considering producing works for overseas markets. Baotong Technology (300031, SZ) also clearly mentioned in its communication with investors that “in the short term, (the new policy) will affect the number of mobile games launched in China. The approval process is long and there is a risk of failure to pass the review. Some game manufacturers, under the condition of limited domestic market, do not rule out the option of handing their products over to Yihuan Network for overseas distribution.”

However, Miao Chunyang, a game investor and partner of Shenzhen Kunfang Venture Capital, believes that the domestic market should not be given up lightly, because it is not wise to rush overseas due to the new regulations. "Whether a product will be exported is still determined by the content. For example, the market for independent games itself is not in China. But for products that have already been made, we should try our best to complete the procedures and launch them online smoothly."

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.