Overview of the Game

The independent developer Pierre-Louis Biojout recently withdrew his first-person shooter game titled Tenderloin Night Shift, which was criticized for its portrayal of residents in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood as ‘zombies.’ The game, created during a weekend using OpenAI’s Codex, aimed to reflect the unique atmosphere of the area known for its high crime rates and the challenges faced by its community.

Game Mechanics and Theme

In Tenderloin Night Shift, players engage in cleaning up the streets by using guns against various zombie characters. Notably, these enemies vary in appearance, with some dressed in construction uniforms, while others wear food delivery backpacks—suggesting they were ‘infected’ while working. One character even mimics the ‘fentanyl fold,’ a posture often seen among individuals affected by substance use.

Biojout’s approach included monetizing the game’s environment through digital advertisements, creating a commercial landscape within his digital rendition of the Tenderloin.

City Officials Respond

The game’s depiction sparked immediate concerns from city officials. Mayor Daniel Lurie remarked, “There’s no accounting for taste or people’s terrible ideas. This is a bad one, and we reject it. It doesn’t speak for San Francisco values.” Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, who represents the Tenderloin, described the game as “deeply disturbing and unacceptable,” emphasizing that such representations are dehumanizing and should not be normalized.

Developer’s Apology

Initially, Biojout acknowledged the backlash on social media. However, he later decided to remove the game from distribution and publicly apologize, clarifying that his intentions were misunderstood. He cited inspiration from a Call of Duty map set in Alcatraz and expressed regret over the oversight in judgement regarding the sensitive nature of the depicted subject matter.

“The game was not intended to provoke or to depict shooting real people. Its characters draw on a broad cross-section of San Francisco, across different backgrounds and walks of life,” he stated in a conversation with the San Francisco Chronicle.

Redeeming Actions and Future Steps

In light of the controversy, Biojout refunded advertisers associated with the game, deleted related social media content, and pledged to donate the game’s total revenue to the Delancey Street Foundation, a San Francisco nonprofit that assists those struggling with rehabilitation and vocational training.

“I built and posted a zombie game set on San Francisco streets. The setting and the way I promoted it showed poor judgment. Targeting people struggling with addiction or homelessness was never my intention,” Biojout expressed on Twitter/X.

Game Removal

The game was initially available on Biojout’s NanoCorp AI platform, designed for online businesses powered by AI agents. However, as of now, the game is no longer listed or accessible on the site.