Notice On Mobile Game Publishing Service Management
Release Date: June 2, 2016
Translated From: SAPPRFT Government Website
Xin Guang Chu Ban Fa [2016] No. 44
Bureaus of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of each province, autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government, the Bureau of Press, Publication, Radio and Television of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, the Propaganda Bureau of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission, and various game publishing service units:
In order to further regulate the management order of mobile game publishing services and improve the efficiency of mobile game acceptance and approval, in accordance with the “Publication Management Regulations”, “Regulations for the Management of Online Publishing Services” and related management regulations, the relevant matters are now notified as follows:
1. The mobile game referred to in this notice refers to game works that use mobile smart devices, such as mobile phones, as the carrier and are available for download by the public through the internet or to play directly online.
The mobile game publishing service referred to in this notice refers to the act of providing online publishing operation services such as downloading or online play of mobile games to the public through an information network.
The game publishing service unit referred to in this notice refers to an online game publisher that has obtained the State Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television Administration’s online publishing service license and has a game publishing business scope.
2. The game publishing service unit is responsible for mobile game content review, publication declaration, and game registration number application.
Assuming the game for publication does not involve political, military, ethnic, religious and other themes, and there is no storyline; then simple elimination, parkour, flight, chess, card, puzzle, sports, rhythm, and other leisure puzzle-type domestic mobile games shall be handled according to the following requirements:
(1) Game publishing service units shall, in accordance with the “Publication Management Regulations” and “Internet Publishing Service Management Regulations” and other requirements, refer to the “Mobile Game Content Standard” formulated by the China Audiovisual and Digital Publishing Association, review the mobile game content for publication, and fill in the “Publish an application form for domestic mobile game works (see attachment), and submit a copy (in duplicate) of this form and related licenses to the province at the provincial level at least 20 working days before scheduled online publishing (open beta, the same below) for operation publishing administration.
(2) The provincial publishing administrative department shall complete the following tasks within 5 working days after receiving the application materials: 1. Review the completeness and accuracy of the application materials. 2. If it meets the requirements, one copy of the application material and the review opinions of the provincial publishing administrative department shall be reported to the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, and the other shall be archived by the provincial publishing administrative department. 3. If the requirements are not met, the application materials shall be returned to the applicant and the reasons shall be stated in writing.
(3) The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television shall, within 10 working days of receiving the materials submitted by the provincial administrative department of publishing, make a decision on whether to approve it, and notify the provincial administrative department of publishing. The provincial publishing administrative department shall notify the game publishing service unit within 3 working days after receiving the approval of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television.
(4) After the game publishing service unit obtains the approved document, it shall organize the online publishing operation of the game in accordance with the requirements of the approved document, and report the online publishing operation in writing to the provincial competent administrative department of publishing within 7 working days after the online publishing operation of the game. Time, downloadable address, number of operating agencies, the name of the main operating agency, and whether it is open for recharge and other publishing operations; if the online publishing operation is still not available for 20 working days after the scheduled online publishing operation time, the local publishing administrative department in charge should promptly report the reasons in writing.
4. To apply for the publication of domestic mobile games that are not within the scope of Article 3 of this notice, in accordance with the “Notice on Further Regulating the Publication of Application Materials for Authorized Internet Game Works and Electronic Game Publications by Overseas Copyright Owners” (Xinguang Office Letter [2014] 111 No. (hereinafter referred to as the “Specification Notice”) and the “Notice on Initiating the Real-name Verification of Online Game Prevention Addiction” (Xindelian [2011] No. 10), among which the application materials listed in Appendix 1 of the “Notification Notice” Items (2) to (6) in the middle of China were changed to submit the Application Form for Publishing Domestic Mobile Game Works.
5. Application for publishing mobile games authorized by overseas copyright holders shall be handled in accordance with the requirements of the “Notice of Regulations” and the “Notice of Starting the Real-name Verification of Online Game Prevention of Addiction”.
6. Upgraded works and new expansions of mobile games that have been approved for publication (referring to the obvious changes in storyline, mission content, map form, character personality, character characteristics, interactive functions, etc.; change in name or addition of a subtitle modifier before the game name, such as “new ××”, or using a number to indicate the version change after the game name, such as “×× 2” for promotion and publicity) will be treated as a new work and, in accordance with the provisions of this notice, the relevant approval procedures shall be re-performed according to the category to which they belong.
7. For mobile games that have been approved for publication, changes to the game publisher, game name, or main operating agency, relevant change materials must be submitted to and reviewed by the provincial publishing administrative department. The provincial publishing administrative department shall then report it to the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television for changes.
8. When publishing mobile games online, the game publishing service unit (i.e. app store) shall be responsible for the integrity of the game content. Before the game starts and after the “Healthy Gaming Advice“, a special page shall be set up to indicate the game copyright owner, publishing service unit, approval document number, information such as publication numbers approved by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, and published and operated strictly in accordance with the approved content. The game publishing service unit is responsible for reviewing and recording the daily update of the game, and it shall promptly stop the behavior of adding undesired content without authorization. If it does not cooperate, it shall promptly report to the competent provincial publishing administrative department for disposal. If the circumstances are serious, the provincial publishing administrative department at the territorial level may go through the formalities of canceling the approval of game publishing in accordance with the corresponding procedures, and hold them responsible.
9. When two companies jointly operate a mobile game, they must check whether the approval procedures for the mobile game are complete and whether the relevant information is present. Jointly operating a mobile game is not allowed without approval or where the relevant information is not present.
1o. When various mobile phones, tablets and other mobile devices contain pre-installed mobile games, they must check whether the approval procedures for the mobile game are complete, and whether the relevant information is present. They must not be pre-installed without approval or if the relevant information is not present. Infringing and pirated mobile games are not allowed.
11. The provincial administrative departments of publishing shall be equipped with personnel and technical equipment to meet the needs of the supervision and review work for games publishing within 30 working days, and report the results to the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television.
12. For mobile games that have been approved and involve operations in other places, the provincial publishing administrative department that accepts the application for publishing the game shall be responsible for the relevant supervision work in accordance with Article 11 of this notice. Cooperate with daily supervision.
13. This notice shall come into effect on July 1, 2016. After this date, mobile games that have not been approved by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television can not be published online.
14. For mobile games (including various pre-installed mobile games) that have been published and operated on the Internet before the implementation of this notice: All game publishing service units and related game companies should do a good job of implementing these measures. The notice requires that before October 1, 2016, they go to the provincial publishing administrative department in the territory to complete the relevant approval procedures. By that time, those who have not gone through the relevant examination and approval formalities can not continue publishing their game online.
15. Mobile games published online and operated without fulfilling the relevant examination and approval procedures in accordance with the requirements of this notice: Once found, the relevant publishing administrative law enforcement departments will investigate and deal with these illegal publications.
16. Provincial competent administrative departments of publishing are required to carefully organize implementation in accordance with the requirements of this notice, and report to the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television in a timely manner on the progress of the work.
Attachment: Application form for publishing domestic mobile game works
General Office of State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television
May 24, 2016