SAPPRFT's New Administration Regime Over Mobile Games: What've Happened Since July?

The third quarter in 2016 has been an extremely busy one for China mobile game industry, not only for the market practitioners such as game developers, publishers and operators, but also for the regulatory authority, China State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television ("SAPPRFT", "国家新闻出版广电总局"). This is because the Notice on the Administration of Publishing Services of Mobile Games ("Notice", 《关于移动游戏出版服务管理的通知》) which requires mobile games must be approved before being published took effect on July 1, 2016. This article intends to give a general overview on SAPPRFT's implementation of the Notice during Q 3 2016 and discuss certain issues on SAPPRFT's approval requirements.