>>47324498>They don't need China's permission to base a region off of China.They will need the CCP's approval if they want to sell the games in China, which they will want to do like any other major IP.
CCP will review any media that goes into the country, to make sure it aligns with whatever values the current regime is pushing at the time--Most importantly, they'll scrutinize any references to China itself and demand changing or outright removing any reference that is too critical or unflattering of the country. If the censors are feeling especially cuntish, for example, they could tell them it can't have an enemy team just because they don't like the implications that modern day China might have crime.
And this extends beyond just what they release in China. They could hold business ties hostage and demand the content be altered outside of China, too. That's historically what China has done, why even games that never saw a proper release in China have been subject to these rules. Homefront is an especially memorable example, the invading army was originally intended to be Chinese, but it was changed in fear of causing backlash from Chinese authorities. Mind you it released at a time when video game consoles weren't even allowed in the mainland.
So no, in the end they're likely going to be at least somewhat beholden to what the CCP wants. Perhaps it will mean nothing, perhaps GF wouldn't even make anything that would set off their censors. But if they did, I guarantee you they would have to bend over backwards for them. Literally everyone else does.
