A Chinese public-interest group said on Tuesday it is suing Tencent over what it alleges is inappropriate content for minors in the top global game developer's flagship video game, Honor of Kings.
Beijing Teenagers Law Aid And Research Center said it filed the lawsuit in a Beijing court on Tuesday, to mark the implementation of an amended protection of minors law.The suit, whose content Reuters could not independently confirm, also coincides with an unprecedented antitrust crackdown by Beijing on some of China's biggest tech companies that sources told Reuters includes Tencent.
In a posting on its social media account, it said some of the game's characters wore low-cut clothes and that its storyline tampered with historical figures and showed a lack of respect for traditional culture - all of which made the game inappropriate for young users. Citing concerns about eye damage, Chinese authorities have sought to limit hours that teenagers can spend playing video games, and companies including Tencent have put in place anti-addiction systems that they say cap young users' game time.