Since the early 2000s, the Chinese government has engaged in efforts to control young people’s passion for online gaming, a leisure pursuit commonly referred to as a form of spiritual opium. This past summer the government renewed its commitment to this cause, announcing a new regulation whereby gamers under the age of 18 will be restricted to 3 hours of gameplay per week. Such regulations baffle many. China is home to over 500 million online gamers and considered a leader in the professionalization of competitive gaming, or esports. Why is it that a country seemingly so invested in online games is simultaneously leading the charge against them? In this talk, Dr. Szablewicz will examine the motivations behind these decisions through the lens of Chinese history, culture, and class politics. She will also consider how the stigma surrounding online games affects the subjectivities of the youth who play them, and show how games have become an ideological battleground through which youth cope with and challenge dominant perceptions about failure and success in contemporary China.

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