Game Working Committee Releases Draft Guidelines on Game Distribution, Spotlight on Gacha Rates

The Game Publishing Committee of the China Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association has released a draft titled 'Basic Requirements for Game Distribution and Promotion' for public consultation until April 13th. The document outlines rigorous processes for distribution and promotion. Most notably, it mandates that an ISBN (the government-issued game license) must be obtained before any distribution. Players speculate this effectively kills the 'Pre-order' or 'Early Access' models in the domestic market without a license.

Furthermore, the draft identifies five categories of false advertising, specifically naming 'gacha drop rates' (抽卡爆率) and 'event rules.' This inclusion has created a buzz in the gaming community, with many users feeling it is 'surreal' to see these industry-specific terms officially listed. Discussion has shifted toward the current industry-wide lack of transparency in how loot box probabilities are disclosed.

Community reactions are mixed. Some are skeptical about the enforceability of these standards, questioning whether the Committee has actual regulatory power. Meanwhile, others have dived deep into analyzing current hit titles, specifically looking at how games like *Genshin Impact* disclose their rates compared to these new requirements. Some players provided in-game screenshots to debate whether the current disclosures are truly transparent enough.