The South Korean Game Rating and Administration Commission Sees Resignations Following Player Petition

The South Korean Game Rating and Administration Commission (GRAC) has experienced a shakeup as three department heads have stepped down. The resignations come in the wake of an investigation prompted by a petition from players of the mobile game Blue Archive, which called into question the regulatory body’s practices.

Chinese news outlet GameLook and English-language outlet NicheGamer reported that the investigation was initiated after Blue Archive and another gacha game, Fate Grand Order, had their age ratings raised from 15 to 18. This change was made due to perceived graphic content in the games, a decision that many players strongly opposed.

Following the GRAC’s request to reassign the age rating of Blue Archive to 18, a petition was launched and garnered approximately 5,400 signatures. This led to an investigation and public audit of the commission, which uncovered an embezzlement of 600 million ($46k). Reports suggest that the embezzled funds were diverted into bitcoin mining, though there are others who believe it was misappropriated from a project related to internal management systems.

The findings of the investigation have resulted in the resignation of three department heads responsible for management planning, game content management, and self-regulatory support.

A Divided Age-Rating Landscape

While the GRAC scandal highlights the potential need for age-rating adjustments, it is important to note that other regulatory bodies, such as the Game Policy Self Governing Organisation (GSOK), which oversees certain mobile games including gacha titles, continue to operate normally to the best of our knowledge.

However, there has been a surge in stringent legislative measures elsewhere, such as the proposition of an approval system for games originating from China. South Korea’s relationship with China has been notably strained, and many Chinese players protesting the age-rating scandal believe that it is a result of politically motivated regulatory actions against games, particularly those developed and published by Chinese companies for the Korean market.

Furthermore, concerns have been raised about corruption within the GRAC, with lawmakers seizing the player petition as a justification for their investigation. It is remarkable to witness a mobile game having such a profound impact on the downfall of a regulatory institution, as highlighted by one observer on Twitter.