Rumors that China is reconsidering their ban on video games have been abuzz since last year, but this time there's reason to believe that it's actually happening soon.
The South China Morning Post reports on plans for Shanghai's new free trade zone. Part of the proposal includes opening up the zone so that video game companies like Nintendo, Sony, et al. can have their consoles built there. In turn, they will be allowed to officially market and sell their products in the country for the first time since 2000.
The provisions of the video game ban aren't actually set in stone. For one, Nintendo has famously been selling their consoles in the mainland under the iQue brand for years, in a company co-owned with entrepeneur Dr. Wei Yen. Sony has also attempted inroads into the country, and was able to procure a limited release for the Playstation 2, but for the most part has been unable to officially release their consoles there due to legal requirements. Microsoft could only go so far as to release the Kinect, sans Xbox 360, for developers.
Gaming is big business in China, although the big players are all Chinese companies mostly releasing Chinese-only PC and mobile games. Fans have still been able to get their favorite consoles and games through the country's black and gray markets.
If this pushes through, it may create a new blue ocean for the whole industry to enter and make money in. Chinese authorities' biggest concern appears to be in terms of content, so the games themselves may face heavy censorship and/or regulation, but it will still be a welcome change for the industry.
Image from TenCent games' Dungeon & Fighter