New Pokemon Snap will be the first Pokemon game to be released in China since 2000. New Pokemon Snap is the first game of this franchise to launch in the country following the complete ban on production, import, and sales of video game consoles that was in effect from 2000 to 2015 in China, leading the way for the release of more Nintendo titles.
Back in 2000, the Chinese government imposed a near-complete ban on video game consoles due to concerns about video game addiction and its negative influence on younger players. Some consoles were still released in China during the ban, such as Sony’s PlayStation 2 in 2004 and some of Nintendo's consoles thanks to a partnership with iQue. The ban was lifted in 2015, allowing Chinese players to discover the latest consoles from Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo, among others. The Nintendo Switch was released in China in 2019. Nintendo’s console featured significantly fewer games due to various restrictions imposed by the Chinese government as it continues its policy to protect the youth against the dangers of video game addiction.
The director of New Pokemon Snap discusses the origins of this spin-off, including how the sequel finally came...
