'Blood Money: Lethal Eden' game simulates scam-compound captivity, stokes debate in China

A new video game by a Chinese developer, "Blood Money: Lethal Eden," places players in the role of people forced to work as online scammers, and its release on Saturday prompted discussion in China. The game, developed by Jade Flame in Sichuan, uses full-motion video sequences in which a protagonist wakes drugged in a cage, is brought to a large office where a boss promises freedom if a target amount is raised through scamming, and faces decisions such as whether to protect a woman being punished.

Characters speak Chinese and the trailer includes text in Burmese; the location of the fictional compound is not specified but the game shows many hallmarks of Chinese-run facilities in Myanmar. Reviewers on Steam said the fictional compound includes areas for scam operations, prostitution and torture, which the article says is consistent with real compounds that have been documented in Myanmar and Cambodia.

The game is one of several recent titles about scam centers, and industry observers cited in the article say the genre reflects a shift toward topics drawn from contemporary Chinese society. The piece notes that people from around the world have been kidnapped and forced to work in scam compounds, and that the U.S.

Treasury Department says fraud from such operations has cheated Americans alone of more than $16.6 billion. Interpol is cited as saying Chinese nationals are the largest group targeted by gangs that run these compounds. Jade Flame declined an interview request.

Key Topics

Culture, Blood Money, Jade Flame, Sichuan, Myanmar, Scam Compound