Tencent Suspended From Launching Or Updating Apps In China

The Ministry of Information and Technology in China has temporarily suspended gaming giant Tencent from launching or updating its apps in the country. As Game Developer reports (via the paywalled South China Morning Post), the measure is being billed as "temporary administrative guidance" as Chinese authorities "have reportedly taken issue with a number of the company's apps for violating regulations and infringing user rights."

The Chinese government has taken action against gaming several times in the recent past. In 2018, the country refused to approve new games for about half a year, and just a few months ago, the country's state media compared games to opium for their addictive qualities.

It's unclear what caused the current tiff between Tencent and the government, though Tencent has said it's cooperating with the authorities as its games remain available for download. "We are continuously working to enhance user protection features within our apps, and also have regular cooperation with relevant government agencies to ensure regulatory compliance," the company said.

We'll update this piece as we learn more about the situation.