Football Manager Gets Chinese Red Card

The Chinese government has banned Sega's smash hit soccer management PC title.

It is not uncommon for a videogame to be banned for being too violent or too racy, but for a ban to stem from political differences is more of a rarity. And yet, this is precisely what has happened to Football Manager 2005 in China.

The Chinese government has banned the PC title because the game lists Taiwan, Tibet, Macau and Hong Kong as sovereign territories.

The political status of these four regions is a sore topic for China, with the government refusing to recognise them as independent countries.

The Ministry of Culture in China has justified the banning of Football Manager 2005, saying that the game will "pose harm to the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity".

According to news agency Reuters, the Ministry of Culture has sent out a notice stating that it is ready to take action against those that distribute the game.

People found in possession of the game are liable for fines, as are owners of Internet cafés who allow customers to download the game.

This puts publisher Sega in a difficult situation. Football Manager 2005 has yet to be released in China, which means that the Chinese government is basing its ban on unauthorised copies of the game.

Sega, meanwhile, is preparing an official version of Football Manager 2005 in simplified Chinese for release in China in the near future.

In a statement, the company responded to the recent action: "We will follow the correct submission and approval process within China and look forward to feedback from the Chinese authorities on any modifications that may be required."

Whether this will sway the government when it is time to release the official Chinese version of the game remains to be seen.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games