The Chinese cyber game industry, one of the most profitable and fastest-growing sectors of the domestic dot-com industry, should avoid ''malicious competition'' and content which will negatively influence children, the regulator said yesterday at a forum in Shanghai.

Top game firms, including Shanda Entertainment, The9, NetEase.com and Perfect World, said they would develop green games and expand the global market, industry officials said during the China Digital Entertainment Summit Forum, part of the country's biggest game show Chinajoy.

"Some game firms have brought improper content into the game and sent out fake information to attack rivals," said Wu Shulin, vice director of the General Administration of Press and Publication. "That has broken the rules and prevented the healthy development of the industry."

The game regulator also criticized 9You.com, which operated a dance game online. The regulator was responding to reports regarding the company's game called Audition, in which players tried an option of one night stands which brought social problems.

"We will develop a green game of Audition 2 and pay much attention to delete the improper content to the children," said Chen Xiaowei, The9's president.

Game firms have a responsibility to bring positive values to the players and NetEase will continue to provide games based on Chinese culture and history, such as Fantasy West Journey, NetEase Chairman William Ding said at the forum. Chinese game firms should cooperate to make the industry grow in a healthy and sustainable manner, said Chen Tianqiao, Shanda's chairman.

Meanwhile, Shanghai's digital entertainment industry revenue reached 6.37 billion yuan (US$923.18 million) last year, 63.7 percent year-on-year, said Shen Xiaoming, Shanghai's vice mayor.

Shanda, The9 and 9You are all based in Shanghai.

China's game industry revenue grew 57 percent to hit 9.36 billion yuan in 2007, according to the Data Center of the China Internet, a Beijing-based Internet research firm.

The Chinajoy expo will officially open today.

(Shanghai Daily July 17, 2008)