Report finds fewer Chinese youth play games following government restrictions Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Report finds fewer Chinese youth play games following government restrictions 54 percent comply with regulations. News by Ed Nightingale News reporter Published on 11 Aug 2022 9 comments Following the introduction of government-mandated gaming restrictions, 54 percent of Chinese youth are reportedly playing games within regulated hours. That's according to a new 2022 China Youth Gamers report from Niko Partners (thanks GamesIndustry.biz). The study found that 77 percent of youth are at least playing fewer hours per week, even though only 54 percent are within approved hours. Watch on YouTube Eurogamer Newscast: Would you eat a Pokémon? That means a considerable number are still finding ways to circumvent restrictions. Niko Partners found 60 percent of Chinese youngsters played games during 2020, which it forecast will drop to 56 percent by 2026. The report surveyed 1000 parents of minors and 250 teenagers and included interviews with parents, teachers, and experts. Restrictions for Chinese youth were put in place in 2021, limiting gaming for under 18s to just an hour per day and only on Fridays, weekends, and public holidays. At the time, online gaming was described as "spiritual opium" for young people. Regulations were laid out, to be enforced by gaming companies and inspected by the government - which also tracks the online activity of children using real-name identification. The government has also stepped up regulations around livestreaming games. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 7 Nintendo Switch firmware update lets you take screenshots in the Switch Online app The app on your console, not your phone. 7 Latest Articles Genshin Impact Path of Gleaming Jade dates, login event rewards Including other anniversary rewards and how to claim them. Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Jelly Deals Logitech's G Pro X gaming headset is its lowest-ever price during Amazon's Early Access sale Prime Members can get it for just £52. Jelly Deals Save over £500 off the retail price on this beefy ASUS TUF Dash gaming laptop from Amazon Under £1080 for an RTX 3070 laptop. Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store