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Ms G
In a windowless, poorly-lit room, a group of five or six people, each wearing different costumes, are thinking hard over a murder mystery. Someone among them is a killer. They need to expose this person as soon as possible.
This is not real life, but a game that is growing immensely popular in China among the young. It is called “Juben Sha” in Chinese which can be literally translated as “script murder”.
It is a role-playing game in specialist escape room-style venues. In an hours-long session, participants each play a character in a murder story, wear the corresponding costumes, and rummage around for clues and interact with other characters as they attempt to solve the crime.
The scripts they use are specifically written for the game, with a very wide spectrum of topics. It may be a hardcore suspense story set in the medieval times or one addressing some of the most current issues, such as domestic violence and women’s empowerment.
Those in the industry generally believe it was in 2015 that “script murder” became a hit in China, after pirated versions of Western box set games began making rounds in China’s board gaming circles. In 2016, Chinese online media platform Mango TV premièred “Who’s the Murderer”, directing intense public attention to the genre.
Script murder has since blossomed into an industry in its own right, with career scriptwriters, game hosts, box set publishers, and venue developers. Today, the industry has 9,4 million regular players in China, more than 70 percent of which are under 30.
The number of venues is estimated at over 30 000, which is expected to double to 60 000 and its market volume reach 15,42 billion yuan (roughly 2,37 billion USD) by the end of the year.
Multiple reasons are often cited for the energy in the industry. Some players say it is a great way to release the pressure in real life.
For a few hours, you get to forget about who you are and what responsibilities you have and become a completely different person, set in a remote time or place.
This holds special attraction for the urbanites in their early 20s who are dealing with high living costs and demanding jobs on a day-to-day basis.
Some say it is a great way to make friends and even start relationships. In a society where life has mostly migrated online, people are finding fewer reasons to interact face to face.
But the need for meeting up with people remains real and strong. Role-playing games offer exactly that and much more. It allows people to quickly learn about each other’s personality after a few games, even if they are total strangers.
They either soon find out they get along pretty well and become friends, or that they are not for each other and better not meet up again.
Still others find it an educative experience. All the analysing, logical reasoning, communicating, and imagining can be a good mind-building exercise. And it gives players a view of life in God’s perspective, from which they can discover something they have not been able to see in their real life.
It is also an example of the ever-growing service industry in China that is getting more innovative and imaginative. From an agrarian economy to the “factory of the world”, China travelled a long way.
Today, services account for 54 percent of China’s GDP and contributes 60 percent of its total economic growth.
Nowadays, good ideas matter more in the Chinese economy and they are coming in great numbers.
Online Reporter
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