South Korea has called on Apple and Google to remove games from stores that adhere to the "play to earn" model

In South Korea, they continue to strengthen control over mobile stores. Now the authorities want Apple and Google to block games in their app stores in the country that work according to the play-to-earn model (“play to earn”).

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A corresponding request was sent to the companies by the local Games Management Committee under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

According to the agency, such games are speculative. The fact is that in-game prizes that cost more than ₩10 thousand ($8.42) per piece are prohibited in South Korea. Although tokens are not officially recognized as a “cash prize”, the authorities insist that this is only a formality, and users of blockchain projects earn money bypassing legislation.

The Games Management Committee has been struggling with the gaming blockchain for a long time. According to Naver, in 2021, the agency refused to award or revoked the age rating of 15 titles that adhere to the “play to earn” model. Without it, games are prohibited from being distributed in South Korea.

This has already led to the courts. One of the most high-profile proceedings is related to Five Stars for Klaytn from SkyPeople. In April, the agency revoked the rating of the game, thereby banning it in the country. Nevertheless, in June, the developer was able to obtain a temporary lifting of this ban in court and returned the title to the stores. Five Stars for Klaytn will stay there at least until the end of the entire trial. It is assumed that the decision in this case will become a precedent for South Korea.

Also, the authors of Infinite Breakthrough Three Kingdoms Reverse, another game with a revoked rating, are going to go to court now.

Apple and Google have not yet commented on the initiative of the Games Management Committee.