Shao Dehai, director-general of China Youth Internet Association (CYIA)'s Games Committee, said recently that implementation of a hotly debated e-game rating system is being delayed.

Because the proposed unified system failed to obtain support from parents and game producers, it might be promulgated in November or later, Shao said in a telephone interview with Wen Hui Bao, a Shanghai Chinese-language daily. The CYIA, touting the system as the first of its kind in the country, had originally expected it to be in place by the end of October.

The draft of The Standard of China Youth Internet Association on Green Games establishes five static indicators, like violence, sex and terror; and seven dynamic indicators, like politeness. Every indicator is given a rating from one to three. Games are to be rated for junior middle school age (12 years old), senior middle school (16 years old) and those above 18. Games approved for those under the age of 18 are called "green games."

Shao said that a committee of 15 or 16 members is being appointed to rate the games. Members include government officials, two editors of game magazines, Internet experts, writer Liang Xiaosheng and representatives of average families.

"We will not invite game producers to join the committee in order to keep it fair," said Shao.

He denied a report that seven domestic online games, including "Heroes in Warring States," "Yitian II," and "Voyage Century" had been rated under the system. Although some game media and websites are rating their own games in accordance with the CYIA standard, the committee has not in fact issued any ratings.

The majority of e-games currently used in China come from South Korea, and many include scenes that are widely considered violent or pornographic. Such games encourage users to shoot each other and include graphic depictions of corpses and blood. Many experts believe that excessive violence and sexual content have a negative impact on youth.

Shao said that the recommended regulation would help young users choose healthy games.

If implemented, the game rating system will be a first: there are no such regulations concerning films or print publications.

The need for a game rating system has long been discussed. Groups like the Ministry of Culture's China Software Association have in the past said that they intended to propose a system.

The chief of the Public Relations Department of the Shanda Company, a leading online game service provider, said that the company had no comment on the grading system.

Chen Weiguo, a senior manager of Shanghai The9 Co. Ltd., another online game giant, said that any comments on the draft form of the standard would be premature.

"According to the proposed standard, 90 percent of the e-games in China would be rated for users over the age of 18. If compliance was made compulsory, online game companies will lose many of their users," said Chen Wen, a senior analyst with CCID Consulting.

Aomei Electronics, which introduced "Starcraft" and "Diablo," holds that at present there is no need for a game rating system at all.

"All the games introduced from overseas are examined by the General Administration of Press and Publications (GAPP) and the Ministry of Culture. This is a form of rating system. We choose games according to their standards, and delete political and pornographic content," said Aomei executive Chen Dong in a telephone interview.

"I think that it is difficult to define violence, and people have different opinions," Chen Dong said. "In the games, characters use force, so the level of violence depends on users' kindness, teamwork and scenarios."

"Diablo," for example, like all the games developed by Blizzard Entertainment, has a strong storyline and cultural connotation, said Chen Dong. They include scenes of corpses and vampires. "Their existence is reasonable," he said.

Chen Wen from CCID Consulting said, "The China Consumers' Association and China Software Association have also set up rating systems, so their regulations might contradict each other. Still, all these regulations are meaningless compared with those made by GAPP and the Ministry of Culture."

GAPP controls game censoring and the Ministry of Culture oversees Internet cafés. Chen Wen believes they should generate the official rating system.

An official from the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League (CYL) said at a forum held during the Second ChinaJoy Digital Entertainment Exhibition in October that many organizations were drafting game grading systems. The CYL manages the China Youth Networks Association, so its Shanghai committee might be responsible for implementing the standard locally.

Even though no unified standard exists, game producers are already capitalizing on the concept to sell their products.

At the ChinaJoy exhibition, Asia Eastern Information Technology, which operates "HeatProject", used the game grading system as an advertising centerpiece. In its new version of "HeatProject," users can select different versions to download depending on their age. Those under the age of 18 are forbidden to download the version containing more violent scenes.

Some experts say that only green games should be permitted in Internet cafés and schools. This means they would be the most widely disseminated.

However, a game player named Xiaowang, who has seen the rating system draft, said that the standard is very complicated and vague.

"For example, porn content is divided into many grades, some called 'gratuitous sex.' But it is quite difficult to judge them," he said.

China's game market, especially for online games, has become a profitable industry with great growth potential in recent years. Estimates put the size of the domestic game market by the end of 2004 at double that of 2003. The game rating system, when implemented, will affect government, game producers, Internet cafés and users. The standard needs to protect young people effectively, but not damage the industry.

(China.org.cn by Tang Fuchun, November 5, 2004)