本文节选自《经济学人》2019.01.05期，Business板块中的一篇文章。
外刊原文
建议先独立阅读，之后再看解析
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The backlog of new titles awaiting approval has probably surpassed 5,000, so the news on December 29th that 80 new video games had received the blessing of the Chinese government might have seemed underwhelming. But for game developers, any let-up is welcome. After a reshuffle in March that put the new media regulator, the State Administration of Press and Publication, under direct control of the Communist Party’s propaganda department, the firms were forced to forgo profits for the year on all new games.
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China’s gaming market, which in 2016 became the world’s largest, generates over $30bn in revenue a year. Among its heavy hitters are Tencent and NetEase. Shares in each firm have fallen by about 30% over the past year, as revenue growth slowed sharply (see chart). When the news came their share prices ticked up a little. Both companies’ titles were absent from the first lot of licence approvals, which was dominated by small developers, most of which rely on just a game or two to make money. Observers reckon the backlog is being worked through in the order that the titles were submitted, and that the titans’ titles will be approved in due course.
解读
1
The backlog of new titles awaiting approval has probably surpassed 5,000, so the news on December 29th that 80 new video games had received the blessing of the Chinese government might have seemed underwhelming. But for game developers, any let-up is welcome. After a reshuffle in March that put the new media regulator, the State Administration of Press and Publication, under direct control of the Communist Party’s propaganda department, the firms were forced to forgo profits for the year on all new games.
Backlog：滞留；后备
Surpass ~ (sb/sth/yourself)超过；胜过 surpass 5000 = are over 5000
Blessing：with the blessing of sb or sth 在……的支持下，或receive the blessing of……文中即得到中国政府的支持
Underwhelming 索然无味的，冷淡的，反响平平的 Overwhelming 巨大的，压倒性的
Game developers：游戏开发商
Let-up：~ (in sth)（一段时间内的）停止，减弱，减少强度a period of time during which sth stops or becomes less strong, difficult, etc.
Reshuffle：重新洗牌，重组
Media regulator：媒体监管机构
The State Administration of Press and Publication 国家新闻出版监督管理总局
Forgo profits：~ sth，放弃，弃绝（想做的事或想得之物）to decide not to have or do sth that you would like to have or do，可以与give up 互换
For the year：特指这一年
后备等待受审批的新游戏项目已经超过5000个了，这让12月29日80个新电脑游戏已经通过中国政府审批的新闻显得有点惨淡。但是对于游戏开发商来说，任何低迷期都是值得欢迎的。在三月份的一次重洗后，由于媒体监管机构和国家新闻出版监督管理总局将直接受宣传部门的管理，这些公司被迫放弃这一年所有新游戏带来的利润。
2
China’s gaming market, which in 2016 became the world’s largest, generates over $30bn in revenue a year. Among its heavy hitters are Tencent and NetEase. Shares in each firm have fallen by about 30% over the past year, as revenue growth slowed sharply (see chart). When the news came their share prices ticked up a little. Both companies’ titles were absent from the first lot of licence approvals, which was dominated by small developers, most of which rely on just a game or two to make money. Observers reckon the backlog is being worked through in the order that the titles were submitted, and that the titans’ titles will be approved in due course.
Generates：产生，带来。可以与bring about替换。Generate electricity 发电；Generate/Bring about prosperity 带来繁荣
Among：在……之中，或其中之一
Heavy hitters：大亨，重要人物。Heavy hitter其实来自棒球赛。至少在一百二十来年前的时候，它专门用来指身手不凡、目光敏锐的球员，是为球队赢得胜利的主力。如今一般都用来指既能干又成功的人
Ticked up：上升
Were absent from：缺席，不在
The first lot of licence approvals：lot 批；license approval 审批许可证
Reckon：认为
Due course：适当的时侯，依照顺序
中国在2016年成为世界上最大的游戏市场，一年创造超过300亿美元的收入，这其中的领头羊是腾讯和网易，去年这一年，由于收益增长的急剧下降，两家公司的股票都下跌了大约30%，新闻出来后，两家的股票稍微回升了一些。第一批公布的审批许可证中两家公司的名字均未出现，而是被一些小的开发商占领了，他们大多只靠一两个游戏来赚钱。观察人士认为，备选的游戏项目正在按提交时的顺序进行处理中，时机到来之时，两家巨头的项目就会得到批准。
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