Korea to limit online gaming

[Gareth]

link:http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/games/ar...o_3_hours.html

In a move designed to protect gamers from themselves, a representative of the Korean Assembly will present a Bill to the government next month requiring online games companies to limit players' gametime to under 3 hours. Failure to do so may result in a proposed 10 million won (approximately £5,575) fine.

Korea is a world leader in online game consumption, and has witnessed a number of cases in which gamers have died from days of non-stop playing. The regulations would require games developers to include an automatic log-off after three hours for users under 18.

Crikey, that would be a nightmare... unmanageable so unlikely to happen, but a nightmare if it did!

[peanut]

I'm a reformed WOW player, I used to play quite a bit, which usually means 8+ hours a day sometimes, now I can really see the logic in Korea taking that step. Only because I can say I no longer play WOW.

From what I heard, they are thinking in future, games like WOW they are looking at limiting the amount of 'honor/points etc' you can recieve in a day, so for 3-4 hours a day you get your honor, after that you get reduced or no honor points, which makes it's pointless to play.

Anyone who's ever played WOW knows someone who plays more than 12 hours a day and spend their lives wasting away in BGs etc. These people need help as it can be a serious addiction.

[tonecold]

It's not even just wasting their lives anymore, some of these kids are ENDING their lives while playing it without breaks.