Korea announces MMO curfew

The South Korean authorities have announced a new ‘gaming curfew’ to try and counter what is seen as the growing problem of MMO addiction in the country.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s policy, as reported by The Korea Herald, intends to forcefully block or incrementally slow down the internet connections of those who spend prolonged periods playing popular MMO titles such as Maple Story, Dungeon & Fighter and Dragon Nest.

Gamers will be given the chance to define the six-hour timeframe that their connections are affected. In total 19 games have been flagged under the scheme.

Critics have stated that kids will likely find a way to circumvent the measures, most obviously by registering under another name or IP address. There have also been criticisms of the selection of titles targeted by the legislation.