Industry ambition-‘Self level classification system’ to be restricted by Google and Apple
Kim Soo Yeon | newsnews@ | 2017-04-04 09:33:27
Multinational corporations such as Google and Apple, which have gained huge profits by dominating more than 80% of the domestic mobile app market in addition to game apps, are showing no interest on the self level classification system which will be introduced within this year by the government. It has been pointed out that those companies may be obstruction of the system.
The self level classification system is not the government``s rating system for the game, but the industry itself, and the government will only carry out post-management on the system, which has been long wished system by game industry. However, there is a growing concern that Google and Apple, which are major gateways to distribution of mobile game apps in Korea, are not cooperating with the government``s system.
According to the game industry on April 3, discussions between the operators and the game management committee under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism have been experiencing some difficulties over the scope of information disclosure related to the post-management of game items for the implementation of the self level classification system. Google and Apple which are considered as the main companies in the system operation are showing irresponsible attitude as they have not even participated in agreement.
The self level classification system is a system established by the government to adapt to the changing game industry environment such as virtual reality (VR), smart TV, and new game platforms. The system will abolish the government``s level pre-classification system for domestic distribution games. And the company designated as a level self-classified business operator will autonomously classify the rating (except for youth and arcade games). Although the system has been introduced in January, it has not yet been implemented.
Google and Apple have been silent for the past two months already about the inquiry for a basic answer to the pre-demand survey of the game management committee. Game management committee recently conducted a demand survey on how to determine the range of information that can be linked to the system to be installed for post game management of game related companies such as game companies and game platforms. The system can be implemented only if the standard is established. However Google and Apple have been ignoring it so far.
Google Korea has been uncooperative by saying ‘Please talk to the head office.’ instead of submitting a response to the demand survey of the recent game management committee.
Apple Korea, on the other hand, only sent a representative to the legal affairs corporation, not a Korean corporation or its headquarters personnel, to participate in ‘The self level classification system meeting’ held several times by the Game management committee.
It is different from Korean companies as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and many other domestic companies are responding promptly to the government request and attending the conference.
Game industry expert mentioned, ‘Google and Apple are in no position to be in a hurry as they can stay in their own self level classification business by the end of next year, even if they do not cooperate with the government``s the self level classification system.’
It is the game industry analysis that the self level classification system is ‘annoying’ system for Google and Apple. Google and Apple will be no longer self-classified in 2019, after a two-year postponement period is passed. It is because in the case of the past level classification system, mobile games could be freely circulated by negotiating game items and game classification criteria.
Although the Game management committee is in a hurry to establish the criteria for the post-management of the self level classification system with domestic companies to implement the system in June at the latest, multinational corporations such as Google and Apple are not cooperating with the government. And as a result agreement cannot be made on the system post-management such as information disclosure. Due to those problematic factors, the self level classification system implementation is expected to be late.
On the other hand, according to the Korea Wireless Internet Industry Association, Google sold KRW 2.33 trillion (51.8% of the total) in the Korean mobile app market, which amounted to KRW 4.45 trillion in 2015, and Apple posted revenue of KRW 1.4096 trillion (31.3 %).
By Kim Soo Yeon newsnews@
[ copyright ⓒ The Digitaltimes ]
The self level classification system is not the government``s rating system for the game, but the industry itself, and the government will only carry out post-management on the system, which has been long wished system by game industry. However, there is a growing concern that Google and Apple, which are major gateways to distribution of mobile game apps in Korea, are not cooperating with the government``s system.
According to the game industry on April 3, discussions between the operators and the game management committee under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism have been experiencing some difficulties over the scope of information disclosure related to the post-management of game items for the implementation of the self level classification system. Google and Apple which are considered as the main companies in the system operation are showing irresponsible attitude as they have not even participated in agreement.
The self level classification system is a system established by the government to adapt to the changing game industry environment such as virtual reality (VR), smart TV, and new game platforms. The system will abolish the government``s level pre-classification system for domestic distribution games. And the company designated as a level self-classified business operator will autonomously classify the rating (except for youth and arcade games). Although the system has been introduced in January, it has not yet been implemented.
Google and Apple have been silent for the past two months already about the inquiry for a basic answer to the pre-demand survey of the game management committee. Game management committee recently conducted a demand survey on how to determine the range of information that can be linked to the system to be installed for post game management of game related companies such as game companies and game platforms. The system can be implemented only if the standard is established. However Google and Apple have been ignoring it so far.
Google Korea has been uncooperative by saying ‘Please talk to the head office.’ instead of submitting a response to the demand survey of the recent game management committee.
Apple Korea, on the other hand, only sent a representative to the legal affairs corporation, not a Korean corporation or its headquarters personnel, to participate in ‘The self level classification system meeting’ held several times by the Game management committee.
It is different from Korean companies as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and many other domestic companies are responding promptly to the government request and attending the conference.
Game industry expert mentioned, ‘Google and Apple are in no position to be in a hurry as they can stay in their own self level classification business by the end of next year, even if they do not cooperate with the government``s the self level classification system.’
It is the game industry analysis that the self level classification system is ‘annoying’ system for Google and Apple. Google and Apple will be no longer self-classified in 2019, after a two-year postponement period is passed. It is because in the case of the past level classification system, mobile games could be freely circulated by negotiating game items and game classification criteria.
Although the Game management committee is in a hurry to establish the criteria for the post-management of the self level classification system with domestic companies to implement the system in June at the latest, multinational corporations such as Google and Apple are not cooperating with the government. And as a result agreement cannot be made on the system post-management such as information disclosure. Due to those problematic factors, the self level classification system implementation is expected to be late.
On the other hand, according to the Korea Wireless Internet Industry Association, Google sold KRW 2.33 trillion (51.8% of the total) in the Korean mobile app market, which amounted to KRW 4.45 trillion in 2015, and Apple posted revenue of KRW 1.4096 trillion (31.3 %).
By Kim Soo Yeon newsnews@