Indie Game Dev Takes Down Vibe-Coded Zombie Shooter After San Francisco Officials Condemn 'Dehumanizing' Game
The developer of a zombie game set in San Francisco has removed the game from online marketplaces and issued a public apology after city officials condemned the title for depicting its homeless people as ‘zombies.’
Indie game developer Pierre-Louis Biojout has taken down his zombie shooter, Tenderloin Night Shift, and issued an apology after San Francisco officials condemned the game for its dehumanizing depiction of city citizens as "zombies." The first-person shooter was created in a weekend using OpenAI’s Codex and placed in San Francisco’s infamous Tenderloin neighborhood, known for its high crime rates and unhoused population.
Players used guns to eliminate "zombies" dressed in various work uniforms, including construction gear, motorized scooter helmets, food delivery backpacks, and those in the so-called "fentanyl fold" position. Biojout had monetized the game by selling digital ad space for $100 per week. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and Supervisor Bilal Mahmood expressed their disapproval, urging Biojout to remove the game and apologize for its offensive portrayal of real people, especially those struggling with addiction or homelessness.
Biojout later refunded advertisers, removed social media posts about the game, and donated all revenue to a local nonprofit, the Delancey Street Foundation.
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