Introduction
China’s leader Xi Jinping started a call to action this week. Highlighting the need for the government to address the increasing number of children across the country requiring eyeglasses. The primary reason behind this issue is attributed to video games.
The Impact of Video Games
There is a new trend in China where many children who wear eyeglasses are spending significant time playing video games. This trend has led to major financial impacts on the gaming industry.
Market Repercussions
The Chinese President’s call to action wiped out billions of dollars from the market value of the world’s largest gaming company. On Friday, the market shares of Tencent. A leading game publishing company, declined as the government took action. Citing video games as a cause of increasing nearsightedness among children.
Government Actions
On Thursday, government authorities took steps to address the issue. This led to a decline in shares not only for Tencent but also for leading Japanese game publishing companies such as Capcom, Konami, and Bandai Namco.
The Link Between Screen Time and Nearsightedness
The connection between screen time and nearsightedness is widely held but still under ongoing study among researchers. A 2015 report by the World Health Organization mentioned research indicating that myopia is related to less time spent outdoors. And more time engaging in activities like reading, studying, and focusing on screens.
Media Response and Public Concern
Chinese state media has blamed video games for making young kids addicted. Leading to poor performance in school and other activities. There have been tragic incidents, such as a 17-year-old Chinese boy dying after playing a video game for 40 hours straight, highlighting the urgent need for action.
The Rise of Tencent
Tencent has become very prominent in recent years, gathering developers worldwide. The company is behind influential games like League of Legends and Clash of Clans and holds a stake in Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite. Additionally, Tencent operates the Chinese messaging app, WeChat, which people across the country extensively use for smartphone payments.
Government Regulations
The Ministry of Education issued a directive on Thursday guiding China’s media regulator to limit the number of new games approved for distribution, although it did not specify a particular limit. It also urged the regulator to explore measures to limit the amount of time minors can spend playing games and to consider a system for rating games for age appropriateness.
Conclusion
Xi Jinping’s call to action underscores a significant public health concern and has prompted swift governmental and market responses, reflecting the broad impact of video games on children’s eye-eyeglasses health and the gaming industry.
