Tencent, the massive Chinese tech company, has recently instituted a series of restrictions on it's incredibly popular gaming franchise 'Honor of Kings' to help battle a growing epidemic in China: gaming addiction. As a bulwark against the unfortunate mental health issue, Tencent has made it mandatory for all users to register for the game using their real names, and users have limits for the amount of time that they can play each day based on their age.
It may sound absurd, but gaming addiction has become a serious problem around the world, with East Asian countries like China and South Korea struggling most. As public pressure from parents and educators mounted, Tencent decided to take action by restricting the players under the age of 12 to one hour of game time per day and players between 12 and 18 to two hours per day.
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Gaming Addiction Mitigation
- Video game companies can implement measures to mitigate gaming addiction, such as daily limits and real-name registrations.
- Youth Outreach Responsibility
- Corporate companies should be aware of their responsibility towards youth gamers and implement measures to protect them from gaming addiction.
- Age-appropriate Gaming Solutions
- Video game companies should offer age-appropriate gaming solutions to help prevent gaming addiction and to encourage healthy and safe playing habits.
Sectors Adopting This
- Video Gaming
- There is a need for more video game companies to implement measures to mitigate gaming addiction concerns, as well as age- and gender-specific games to encourage healthy habits.
- Healthcare & Therapy
- The growing gaming addiction problem among the youth may lead to opportunities for healthcare services and therapies specialized in treating addiction.
- Online Identity Verification
- To prevent gaming addiction and other cyber issues, online identity verification should be mandatory for online platforms and social media channels.
