Tencent , one of the world’s largest online gaming companies, announced that it will discontinue its booster that allows Chinese users to access foreign games .
China has for years left a loophole for users to access unauthorized games , but has recently decided to implement a measure to close this access.
Many foreign video games have Tencent as a Chinese publishing partner to obtain the license issued by the government, which is necessary to operate in the country. Players typically rely on an “accelerator” to reduce lags for games from other countries.
However, Tencent has issued an announcement that it will end its game booster that allows players to access foreign titles. For now, rival company NetEase , which also runs a similar service, remains operational.
China enforces more lockdowns
The National Radio and Television Administration of China , the regulator that grants licenses for video games , reported that platforms will be “strictly prohibited” from broadcasting live games that have not been authorized by the government.
Platforms, including their individual and business accounts, must obtain approval before broadcasting games or matches abroad, according to the advisory .
This will reduce the number of games that hosts in China can distribute. The Asian country has slowed down the approval process for new games in recent years. Now, many titles may not be officially available in China.