China to ban video games featuring same-sex relationships, ‘effeminate’ men and moral choices

China will ban video games featuring same-sex relationships, ‘effeminate’ men and moral choices, according to a leaked memo.

The internal memo from a recent internal training by the state-backed gaming association was revealed by the South China Morning Post, lays out new restrictions for approving video games in China.

According to the publication, the memo said that video games must not be viewed as “pure entertainment”, and should instead convey “a correct set of values”.

Games that feature queer relationships or “effeminate males”, the memo states, should not be approved for release in China.

“If regulators can’t tell the character’s gender immediately, the setting of the characters could be considered problematic and red flags will be raised,” it added.

Games that allow players to make moral choices between good and evil should also not be approved, according to the memo.

“Some games have blurred moral boundaries,” it said.

“Players can choose to be either good or evil… but we don’t think that games should give players this choice… and this must be altered.”