If reports in the China Daily newspaper are correct, it could be a very happy (Chinese) new year for Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft.

In 2000, the manufacture, sale and import of game consoles was banned in China by seven ministries in response to fears about the harm they did to the physical and mental development in children. However, according to an anonymous source from the Ministry of Culture, this could soon be about to change…

“We are reviewing the policy and have conducted some surveys and held discussions with other ministries on the possibility of opening up the game console market… However, since the ban was issued by seven ministries more than a decade ago, we will need approval from all parties to lift it.“

Whilst nothing even approaching a time-frame for any change (assuming this will happen) has been mentioned, the very possibility of one of the world’s largest consumer markets becoming open to console manufacturers is huge news for the sector and undoubtedly has CEO’s and shareholders watching very closely indeed.

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