China's biggest gaming company, Tencent Holdings, said Tuesday it would limit gaming time for minors and ban children under age 12 from making in-game purchases after a state media article called games "spiritual opium."
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Tencent's pledge to curb gaming for minors came hours after the company's stock plunged as much as 11% following a critique published by the Economic Information Daily, a newspaper affiliated with China's official Xinhua News Agency.
The newspaper article named Tencent's wildly popular Honor of Kings game as one that minors were addicted to, and cited a student as saying that some played the game for eight hours a day. The online article was removed hours later.
On Tuesday, Tencent said in a statement it would limit gaming time for minors to one hour a day, and two hours a day during holidays. Children under age 12 will also be prohibited from making purchases within the game, the company said.
Tencent also called for the industry to control gaming time for minors and discuss the possibility of banning those younger than 12 from playing games.
