Game On: China Lifts 14-Year Ban on Video Game Consoles Leading video game manufactures are cautiously optimistic on China's easing of a ban on gaming consoles such as PlayStation, Xbox and Wii.

By Geoff Weiss

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

China Daily

The floodgates to China's gaming market have opened with the lift of a 14-year ban on the manufacture and sale of video game consoles.

The most populous nation on earth instated the ban in 2000 for fear of corrupting its youth, but will now allow for distribution of consoles in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone -- a 29-square-kilometer testing ground for new economic reforms established last year.

News of the lift was met with cautious optimism -- particularly by three of the world's largest console creators: Sony (PlayStation), Microsoft (Xbox) and Nintendo (Wii).

Related: Many Believe China Will Soon Overtake the U.S. as World's Leading Superpower

While Nintendo shares jumped more than 10 percent in Tokyo, according to a CNN report, China's gaming market has proliferated for over a decade in the absence of consoles through the popularity of PCs, mobile devices and online gaming -- leaving questions as to whether consumers will choose to re-adapt.

Consoles and games have also long been available on China's black market.

Additionally, the government noted that the repeal was only temporary, and that foreign products -- such as the widely popular games that include explicit content and thus are currently banned in China -- will still be subject to regulatory approval.

Related: How to Be a Gaming Entrepreneur

Geoff Weiss

Former Staff Writer

Geoff Weiss is a former staff writer at Entrepreneur.com.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Branding

When to Know If Rebranding the Right Move For You — and What You Should Focus on When It's Time

Discover if rebranding is what your company needs to work on by asking yourself key questions about why you want to rebrand in the first place and which key areas are most important to focus on, whether that be a refresh, partial or full rebrand.

Operations & Logistics

3 Ways Logistics Leaders Can Edge the Competition by Embracing Industry Problems

Success often comes to those who stay focused on the problems they're trying to solve, rather than getting fixated on their solution.

Innovation

If You Want to Be an Industry Leader, Be an Industry Innovator. Here's How to Inspire Innovation in Your Business.

Innovation isn't just about making something new; it's about improving something.

Business News

Target Will Close 9 Stores Across 4 States Due to Ongoing Crime That's 'Threatening the Safety' of Customers and Employees

Target stated that it "invested heavily" in efforts to combat crime, but it just didn't work.

Business News

Here's the Secret to Growing Your Small Business, According to Execs at UPS, Airbnb, Mastercard, and Other Big Brands

These 10 executives work at big companies, overseeing programs that help small business. Here's the advice they wish all small business owners were getting.