While the end of the China console ban may sound like good news for gamers in the Communist state, video game censorship could remain a challenge.
China's Ministry of Culture made the announcement over the weekend, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
"Game consoles were first banned in 2000 due to fears that the devices - and the 3D worlds produced by them - had a negative effect on the mental and physical development of children," The Verge said.
The website noted that the restrictions were relaxed last year when Beijing allowed console makers to operate within an 11-square-mile area in Shanghai.
In the 15 years that gaming consoles were banned, Chinese gamers had to rely on the black market to get their Xbox One, PS4 or Wii fix. PC and mobile gaming did have a presence in the country though.
But even though the China console ban is gone, the black market may not necessarily go away as censorship could find a new role for them to fill.
"China's strict controls on the content of video games [are] likely to stay in place, meaning that a number of more violent games are unlikely to make it past the censors," The Independent said.
Freedom House senior research analyst for East Asia Sarah Cook added via US News that, "it is unclear whether the communist nation's restrictions on Web access or media will allow [video game companies] to grow."
Content may also be an issue with no end in sight for government censorship.
"The question that comes to mind is whether foreign companies would now be under more pressure to alter the content of console games," Cook said.
That said, gaming companies including Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony should still benefit from the China console ban. With and estimated worth of $22.2 billion, the country's gaming market is reportedly just behind Japan in Asia.
