http://kotaku.com/china-lifts-their-console-ban-but-theres-strings-a t-1425338783

The gist of the article is that game consoles can be legally sold in China and games can be sold subject to a ton of regulation. Microsoft is already planning to start shipments while Nintendo looks like it is developing a console targeted for China. Sony is preparing to enter the market as well.

Any thoughts on whether consoles can succeed in China?

Why were they banned in the first place? I mean really, not what the government says

Because it's China and they do what they want. It's kind of funny since most of the devices used to play illegal roms on consoles come from China.

Interesting point. I wonder if the influence of video game companies in China will begin to affect emulator production (i.e. video game companies persuade the government to ban it, make it illegal) or if it'll affect chinese gold farmers in most MMO games.

i didn't even know they were banned... wow... did the government think gaming would introduce individualism or something

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The ban was made because the government claimed video games corrupted children's minds. The change of heart was probably because the rise of smart phones and tablets made the ban on consoles completely pointless. The fact that they could do little against PC gaming or purchases of consoles in Hong Kong didn't help matters. A successful console introduction will likely spawn a Chinese knockoff company which may very well be the real reason the ban was lifted.

It is tough to see how emulators and piracy can be stopped in China outside of cloud based services and strict always online DRM. Nintendo actually had some sort of emulator device ten years ago sold in China after the ban though it doesn't look like it was particularly successful.

This may actually become a financial windfall for gold farmers if consoles can expand the gaming market in China. It isn't exactly virgin territory though since PC and mobile gaming is already thriving there so the potential is unknown.

That said, the market is huge enough that people are already wondering if companies will start censoring games to make it past government regulations the way media companies are censoring movies and TV shows.

Those poor children! I'm not sure how I would have survived adolescence without them.

They should have lifted the bad earlier because console games are far easier to regulate than all the online games.