Fornite is to shut down its service across China.
A version of the popular survival game launched as what translates as 'Fortress Night' back in 2018 as a 'test' but is to close down later this month, with an explanation yet to be given.
A translated announcement on the Chinese website read: "Dear users: The test of Fortress Night has come to an end. We will shut down the server in the near future. The specific arrangements for the suspension of the test are as follows: At 11am on November 1, 2021, stop the registration of new game users and close the download entrance;
"At 11am on November 15, 2021, the game server will be shut down, and users will not be able to log in to the game; Thank you for everyone who boarded the bus and participated in the "Fortnite" test"
The Chinese version of the online game was launched as a modified version, whereby users were subject to a time limit when playing and no "microtransactions" were implemented within the game, in an effort to stop children from spending money.
China is known to set strict limits on the time children are allowed to spend playing games online, having brought in the official law back in August which imposed that children may online play for one hour a day from Friday to Sunday.
Technology conglomerate Tencent then began enforcing face recognition ID checks on their online games.
The timing ban came after state media branded their products "spiritual opium" and compared them to "electronic drugs".
Tencent said: "Anyone who refuses or fails the face verification will be treated as a minor and as outlined in the anti-addiction supervision of Tencent's game health system, and kicked offline"
