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The truth of China’s sharp power in the gaming industry

Nintendo (HK) released a campaign on Super Smash Bros Ultimate on 4 June, in commemoration of the N64 console. The idea is that the gaming experience would multiply by 6.4 times. Interestingly, the day actually has little ties to the actual release day of N64. Netizens quickly concluded that this campaign is in fact giving a nod at another eventful 6.4, or what happened at China's Tiananmen Square back in 1989.

China has a huge market. However, with its current wolf diplomacy, participating in this market may come with unexpected costs. The theft of intellectual property, for one, is a risk many foreign entrants must take when working with a local proxy. Complying with local censorship laws is another.

Examples like Animal Crossing and Devotion show that the Chinese audience tends to react very poorly at the slightest amount of what they perceive to be negative content, or ones that "hurt the Chinese's feelings". It could result in a game being banned in China and the company boycotted by Chinese gamers. Normally, most foreign companies tiptoe around sensitive issues in China.

As time goes on, governments and companies realize that heavy reliance on the Chinese market would result in over dependence on the country and its industries. The recent pandemic is a perfect and very unfortunate example of how much the world relies on this global manufacturing conglomerate.

At the same time, companies realize Chinese boycott may merely be lip service, as amidst the uproar, many Chinese gamers still try to purchase parallel imported products, when the licensed alternative is banned.

In the current situation where the world is reconsidering their relationship and interaction with China, it is not surprising if some companies try to push the envelope of the communist regime, in an effort to show that they are not pawns of China.

Source: Simon Shen’s Youtube, Hitchcock Game news Youtube

#SharpPower #Nintendo #Jun4 #CCP #ChineseBoycott #GamingIndustrial