The Chinese Government has prohibited websites from "running, publishing or offering links to online games featuring mafia-like gangs", and threatened "severe punishment" for those who violate the ban.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Culture, such games "advocate obscenity, gambling, and violence," and "undermine morality and Chinese traditional culture."
"These games encourage people to deceive, loot and kill, and glorify gangster life. They are a bad influence on youngsters," the Chinese press release stated.
As of now, most Chinese websites obeyed the law and stopped operating and linking to such games. The Chinese press is generally in favor of the ban while gamers are -unsurprisingly- angry.
July 28, 2009 - 9:00pm