China gamers must register with real name

[insomniaprincess]

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post...eal-names.html

[Drunken F00l]

So no more chinese gold farmers?

[OmegaZero_Alpha]

In Korea you are given an IP address by the government, if you get caught hacking or cheating at a Korean online game you can lose your job, you are registered on a list that is only comparable to America's "registered sex offender list" and you cannot participate in most Korean online games.

This is also why American players can't play most Korean games, because anybody in America can hack without any consequences.

[insomniaprincess]

I think maybe it's only a matter of time before the US starts getting more serious about it as well.

Or maybe I'm wrong and America just doesn't care. So every carry on...

[Drunken F00l]

People would have too much of a shit-fit if the government forced a "registered game cheater" list on people. I don't think American government cares enough about online gaming to even consider it.

[insomniaprincess]

I agree, DF. They'd never go as far as that but they will care as long as it benefits them to do so. This election Obama advertised in games (along with other Internet venues) and there was such a big deal made of it, you can bet he won't be the last politician to do so.

Can see them all sitting around the campaign planning room:

"We need to reach the people."

"Where are the people?"

"The people are in video games. Let's go get them!"

And you combine this with all the negative things that happen in relation to online games (people always looking for a scapegoat)- child kidnapped by person met online, marriage destroyed due to "addiction", job loss due to "addiction", kid shoots up school- parents blame on video game, parents forget to care for baby while playing online game, etc and eventually the government will find a way to get involved to prove they "care about the issues".

Obviously they won't go as far as the Eastern countries, being as we're the "land of the free" and all but with gaming being the way of the future, they'll find a way to stick their noses in somehow.

I see higher taxes involved somewhere in there, too.