China allows Console Makers to manufacture in Shanghai Free Zone marks Cloud Gaming Revival

Open the Floodgates to the Chinese Markets already! Yes folks, CES isn’t the ONLY News that’s important!

The Government of China has officially laid down rules relating to the manufacture and importation of Gaming Consoles into China as reported in the article China lifts ban on foreign Video Games consoles, published 7 January 2014 Last updated at 10:59 GMT, BBC News and “China lifts sales ban on foreign Game consoles...for now”, published January 7, 2014 7:31 AM PST by Lance Whitney, CNET News.

The Ministry of Culture had started the process of Lifting the Ban on Video Games back in September 2013 which involved assessing each Video Game Console Maker on a case-by-case basis as stated in the article “After 13-year ban, China to allow Game console sales”, published September 27, 2013 6:01 AM PDT by Don Reisinger, CNET News.

This permits “foreign-invested enterprises” (read Sony PlayStation, Microsoft’s Xbox and Nintendo Wii that already manufacture Consoles in China!) to manufacture Gaming Consoles in Shanghai's free trade zone and retail them in China as argued in “New Country For Sony, Microsoft And Nintendo: China Lifts Game Console Ban”, published 1/07/2014 @ 4:21PM by Dave Thier, Forbes.

This of course is all pending the State Council, a Government Body within the Ministry of Culture, approving the Game Titles as pointed out in the article “China suspends ban on Video Game consoles after more than a decade”, published Tue Jan 7, 2014 6:20am EST By Paul Carsten, Reuters.

China’s 14 Year Ban Lifter – What this means for Consoles Makers by the Numbers

The initial announcement back in September 2013 of the plans to lift the 13 year ban on Video Games since 2000 was possibly done to put Video Game makers on their P’s and Q’s to avoid any Games that can potentially corrupt Chinese Culture as surmised in my blog article entitled “China lifts 13 Year ban on Video Game Consoles - Open Floodgates spells opportunity for debutantes Google, Amazon and Apple to enter the Video Game Arena”.

This video below from Reuters presents some interesting Stats that should give an idea of how important this market is to Console Gaming Industry.

Already they’ve banned one Game due to National Security concerns as well as a possible slight in December 2013. That Game was Battlefield 4: China Rising made by Electronics Arts as noted in the article “Battlefield 4 banned in China over national security”, published December 27, 2013 -- 06:36 GMT (22:36 PST) by Liu Jiayi, ZDNet.

The reason?

Battlefield 4: China Rising promotes the idea of the Chinese People rising up to overthrow the Communist Government something the Ministry of Culture frowns heavily upon. This I know very well, having had some experience myself interacting and working with the Chinese; despite their dislike of the Communist Regime they can’t speak ill of their Communist Party, an act seen as Treason and punishable by Jail time and Police and State Harassment.

Traditional Console Maker in China – Legit Chinese Customers and defense against Apple and Google

American Businesses operating in China know well to stay out of Chinese politics, who to bribe and whose way to stay out of. But the potential for traditional Console Game makers such as Sony PlayStation, Microsoft’s Xbox and Nintendo Wii to manufacture and sell Consoles in China offers a lifeline to the ailing Console Industry as I’d pointed out in my blog article entitled “China lifts 13 Year ban on Video Game Consoles - Open Floodgates spells opportunity for debutantes Google, Amazon and Apple to enter the Video Game Arena”.

It also presents an opportunity for new players such as such as Google Android based Crowdfunded Boxer8's Ouya Gaming Console and PlayJam's Gamestick Consoles as described in my blog article entitled “Google Android powers Boxer8's Ouya, PlayJam's GameStick and Nvidia's Project Shield - Stand Up Guys are making Open Source and Open Architecture a $ellebrity” and even Amazon and Google to make low-cost Video Game Consoles in China to sell to the Chinese Market!

If this happens, and no doubt it will, even Apple who reportedly has an interest in making Video Games Consoles for the Chinese market will have to follow suit as predicted in my blog article entitled “Apple to launch TV and a Cloud Gaming Console in 2014 - How the Apple iTV and Television Set can kill The Grandmaster in the guise of Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft”.

After all, they already succeeded in getting the Apple iPhone 5S into China as reported in my blog article entitled “Apple and China Mobile seal deal on Apple iPhone 5S and 5C - Prepare for the Arrival of The Hobbit and The Desolation of Smaug in Samsung's own backyard”.

So imagine if they succeed in building the Apple Television Set and also revamping the Apple iTV with additional Updates that make it into a Video Game with Voice and Gesture Control as predicted in my blog article entitled “Apple buys Israeli-based Primesense that makes the Microsoft Kinect - Apple's Siri and Kinect Heralds of a coming world free of Remote Controls”.

Cloud Gaming is the Future – Real-Time Social Mobile Gaming on Tablets

Ultimately the resurrection of the Console Gaming Industry is tied heavily to the spread of Cloud Gaming Platforms as opined in my blog article entitled “Console Gaming’s Downfall – Future is up in the Clouds”.

This especially as the Apple iPad Mini 2 and the motley crue of US$50 Tablets are set to give  the Playstation Vita and the Nintendo 3DS a run for their money as predicted in my blog article entitled “Apple iPad Air, the World’s Lightest Tablet launched in Silver, Space Grey, White - Christmas smartphone and Tablet Battle Royale as Winter is Coming”.

Stay tuned for further development in the Gaming World, as Consoles appear to be beefing up hardware and making a resurgence, a topic for a follow-up article on this development in the future!