NEW EPISODE: The Murder Game Revolution That Has Gripped China
🕑 Added 2024-01-25 14:00:11 +0000 UTCChina has a multi-billion dollar gaming scene that you may well know nothing about. It's time we all talked about Jubensha!
Join Quinns as he digs into the history of "script murder" and why China's Gen Z loves it so much, before he heads over to Singapore in the hopes of finding a game that's been translated into the English language.
Comments
Foufay
Thank you for caring about sexual assault and triggers in this context. I appreciate the examples you gave of why safety tools are important. This game looks amazing. I look forward to it potentially coming to my part of the world.
Kristin Carlson
After watching this awesome essay, I decided to go shopping for any available Jubensha boxes. I found a copy of Growth Rings on Ebay, one of the titles spoken about in this episode and have started the process of translating it so I can run it for my friends. Google translate is doing a pretty decent job so far, so I think this is actually workable if a lot of front loaded work. Thank you for introducing this game to the English speaking side of the world.
Chris A. Barney
Ooh, these look interesting. I'll have a look at some of them. It seems like no one has cracked the secret to really making this form take off in the Western markets, but I think we are primed for it with the growing popularity of celebrity GMs and great live-play content. A big jump in visibility and economic viability seems almost inevitable... On the high end, we just had the Galactic Starcruiser shut down, but there has to be a viable in-between business model. (The former director from the GS is now working in our games department here at NEU)
Steve Hatherley
These are amazing - and I hadn't heard of them until yesterday. And yet, crazily, it's what I do for a living. I've been running a small business, Freeform Games, for 20 years selling freeforms (also known as parlor/chamber/litform) larps to the general public - but disguising them as murder mystery games. So there's a murder to solve, but there's lots of other things to do as well. But everyone has their own character, it's unscripted and it's up to everyone how they try to achieve their goals. They're not quite the same as Jubensha, but they're very similar. Happy to talk about this more! https://www.freeformgames.com/
Chris A. Barney
I'll be at GDC both with the University and working with the CA program so let me know if you wanted to chat then :)
Chris A. Barney
Hey there, I saw the video and wanted to reach out. I am a game design professor at Northeastern University. We have a lot of faculty with interactive theater, Larp, and escape room experience. We also have a lot of students in our programs from China. We also-also do yearly international trips to run classes and work with international partners... so, poke me if you all would be interested in investigating a project with us to go over, partner with some of your contacts there, and translate some games!
Ryan Slama
I'd love to try one of these games. Are any of the localized versions available for purchase? If they start selling over here, that seems like the best incentive to translate more
George Platen
I can so easily imagine a future where this becomes just as big in Western Europe. There has never been a better time than right now. Thanks for another amazing report PMG.
Adam Birch
ok so question, the version you have that was translated to English... is there a contact for that? a website we can buy from? someone we can contact about it? I'd love to see that promoted as it will help us do what Quinns asked and thats get the word out.
ChatN
Oh man. i can totally see it becoming my new obsession. So damn sad it's nowhere to be found on the Americas :(
Mustafa Haddara
Holy moly this was amazing. I was sold in the first few minutes and really want to go try one of these games now. 😭
Patrick Conaboy
Yo thanks for this! Finally became a patron due to this video. Can't believe I hadn't heard of this.
Zac
Fascinating episode as always! That comparison of the peak number of escape rooms to Jubensha shops blew my mind!
Jacob Way
This video is so fantastic!
Dominic Carter
Good to see stuff like this being reported on, good work Chris, Quinns and Anni.
People Make Games
Fixed - thank you!! -Chris
Platitudinous
Minor captioning error: at 22:59 the phrase "nope out" is transcribed as "no part"
People Make Games
Thanks so much! All the credit goes to Anni for the visuals :)
Optional
I love when you're covering non-video game stuff! And those visuals that played during the explanation were on a whole nother level! I'm so glad to be supporting this content!
People Make Games
Will DM you now!
Dee Bernaers
Cool episode! Think my name was missing from the patreon list though? :<