A local AI founder has created a multiplayer shooter set in the Tenderloin in which players gun down zombie versions of the neighborhood’s residents, drawing immediate criticism for its portrayal of people struggling with homelessness and drug addiction.
San Francisco tech founder Pierre-Louis Biojout is facing serious criticism after releasing a multiplayer shooter set in the Tenderloin, where players can take down “zombie” versions of the neighborhood’s residents, as reported by KRON4. The game, called Night shiftfeatures familiar streets around Jones and Eddy Streets, with zombies leaning on sidewalks and riding Lime scooters while players shoot them and throw grenades. The trailer also features Waymo vehicles, Tesla Cybertrucks, and AI billboards.
Biojout posted the trailer on social media Tuesday, writing: “San Francisco couldn’t fix the Tenderloin. So I monetized it, a Call of Duty style zombie shooter set in the real streets of SF. Multiplayer, in your browser.”
According to KRON4, one of the zombies is called “the bent,” a posture associated with fentanyl use in which a person bends forward at the waist while remaining upright.
The game immediately drew criticism, with social media users saying it was turning the homeless and drug crisis into entertainment. The game’s depiction of black characters also uses racist tropes.
One user compared the game to Call of Duty: Black Ops 4which takes place at Alcatraz.
“A zombie game based on a dormant prison is different from monetizing shooting unhoused drug addicts,” they wrote. “You’re disgusting and really out of touch with reality.”
“Bring back the shame,” another commenter said.
Unsurprisingly, the game also received enthusiastic reactions. One user called it the best game he had played that year.
Another user responded, referencing criticism of the game: “Bro, that’s sick! That’s what I’d say if I was a f***ing loser.”
Biojout, which founded commercial AI platform NanoCorp in 2023, said it built Night shift for a single weekend using AI coding tools despite having no prior experience in video game development. He also claimed that the game has already generated $300 in advertising revenue.
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