** sorry for my clumsy English **
South Korean governmental video game content rating board "Game Rating Board" demand hobby game developers and Valve's Steam to get classification for their game.
In September 1st, RPG Maker developers community Niot's admin said, they received the document from GRB that demand him to get classification for all their RPG Maker games. ([url]http://niotsoft.com/zbxe/183142[/url] [Korean])
It's illegal to release games without rating in Korea, and this applied to literally all (video)games including indie's and even from hobby game developers, whether your game is freeware or commercial.
And they impose commission fee for rating, about $25 for Flash and downloadable games under 10MB is least, for downloadable games over 300MB is about $200. It's basic fee if your game is educational and not for online multiplayer. If you make RPG with multiplayer mode and is over 300MB, you should give them about $907. This is enforcement.
Since Niot have to pay the fees for all their 50 over of games and can't afford it, so they decided to close down all games soon.
And yesterday, Digital Times reported that GRB also demand Valve's Steam to get classification for their games without rating. ([url]http://www.dt.co.kr/contents.html?article_no=2010090302010431749003[/url] [Korean]) Steam provide Korean interface, and Valve admit that they think Korea as one of the target markets. If Valve don't comply this, GRB will request Korea Communications Standards Commission to block Steam service from Korea. So, now Valve discuss about it.
What I curious about this is, why now? They don't care about Steam or RPG Maker Games until now.
I think one of the reason is social atmosphere of Korea. You know, girl starved to death while parents playing online games... And other reason may be lack of money. Korean National Assembly have plan to reduce GRB's budget, so GRB have to earn their money by commission fees.
Many Korean indie and doujin game developers worry about this, and hardcore gamers using Steam are angry now.
