Chinese Government May be Changing Console Guidelines After a 14 Year Ban

China’s Ministry of Culture is reworking the guidelines surrounding the standards of console games sold throughout the country after a 14-year ban on foreign system sales, according to Bloomberg.

A statement from Cai Wu, the head of China’s Ministry of Culture, the guidelines for console manufacturers and developers are to be drafted and released in the near future.

“Things that are hostile to China, or not in conformity with the outlook of China’s government, won’t be allowed,” Cai said.

“We want to open the window a crack to get some fresh air, but we still need a screen to block the flies and mosquitoes.”

Currently the requirement for console developers is for the product to be built within the Shanghai free trade zone, a new development area for foreign funded companies.

China’s ban on games console came into force in 2000, but sellers have been able to bring in game systems via Japan and Hong Kong. Online and mobile games have been permitted and are bringing in high revenue with their ‘freemium’ models.