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[SITUATION] · [QUIET] · [TECHNOLOGY]

2 clusters · 3 sources · 3 days · First seen · Last updated

San Francisco video game controversy

Overview

Developer Pierre-Louis Biojout released ‘Tenderloin Night Shift’, a free, multiplayer browser-based zombie shooter game set in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. Created using AI coding tools, the game faced immediate backlash for its depiction of the city’s streets and vulnerable populations. Critics accused Biojout of monetizing the local homelessness and drug crises for entertainment, to which he initially responded on X, “San Francisco couldn’t fix the Tenderloin. So I monetized it.”

Following intense criticism from the public and city officials, Biojout withdrew the game. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie condemned the project as ‘horrible,’ stating it did not represent the city’s values. Biojout subsequently admitted to ‘poor judgment’ regarding the game’s setting and promotion. To address the controversy, he removed the game and promotional content, pledged to refund all advertisers, and announced a personal donation to a drug treatment and recovery service matching the game’s advertising revenue.

Entities

Tenderloin · San Francisco · Pierre-Louis Biojout · Daniel Lurie · NanoCorp

Timeline

  1. [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    San Francisco developer withdraws controversial zombie game

    Developer Pierre-Louis Biojout has pulled his zombie shooter game set in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood after critics accused it of exploiting the city's homelessness and addiction crises.

  2. [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    San Francisco developer faces backlash over Tenderloin-themed zombie game

    Developer Pierre-Louis Biojout faces backlash for creating a zombie-shooting video game set in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood, which critics say exploits the city's homelessness crisis.

Sources

multiplayer.it · nypost.com · offthepress.com