It would make a great survival game: player must win over politicians and vault a 3,000-strong line of competitors all clamouring for regulatory approval, while also fighting rivals to grab the spoils in the world’s biggest market.
For online and mobile gaming companies that operate in China, where players spent $30bn last year — mostly on mobile games — that virtual scenario is morphing uncomfortably into reality.
Growth in the market, like others dependent on online users, is slowing. Regulatory approval for new games has been suspended since March, a byproduct of politics and a bureaucratic reshuffle. Competition for players’ attention is intensifying, with interest increasingly diverted to online video, shopping and news.
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