Video Game Turning SF's Tenderloin Into a Zombie Battlefield Gets Shut Down After Sparking Massive Outrage

A browser-based shooter that turned real streets in San Francisco's Tenderloin district into a virtual zombie battlefield has been taken offline after drawing criticism from residents, community groups and city leaders.

The game, Tenderloin Night Shift, was created by Pierre-Louis Biojout, founder of the AI platform NanoCorp. He built it over a single weekend using AI coding tools before removing it following the backlash.

Biojout later said he had refunded all advertisers and donated an amount equal to the game's earnings to Delancey Street, a San Francisco organisation focused on addiction recovery and rehabilitation. The withdrawal followed requests from local officials and ended the game's distribution and monetisation.

Critics Say Game Dehumanised Vulnerable Residents

Critics argued that the game's zombie characters resembled unhoused people and residents struggling with substance abuse. One character, called 'the folded', drew particular criticism because its bent-forward posture was said to resemble that associated with fentanyl addiction.

The game also recreated real locations around Jones and Eddy Streets, incorporating familiar features such as Waymo vehicles, Tesla Cybertrucks and Lime scooters. Jared Stearns of the Tenderloin Museum condemned the project, calling it 'vile' and saying it did not represent the neighbourhood.

Residents and community advocates accused Biojout of turning real human suffering into entertainment. They argued that the game trivialised the challenges facing people in an area already struggling with a humanitarian crisis.

Developer Promoted Game's Advertising Revenue

Biojout promoted the game on X, writing that San Francisco could not fix the Tenderloin, so he had monetised it. He claimed it had generated $300 (£225) in advertising revenue.

The post intensified criticism from people who viewed the project as an attempt to profit from the neighbourhood's difficulties and attract online attention. Biojout said he had based the setting on what he observed during his daily commute.

He also maintained that the game was not intended to depict shooting real people or target a particular demographic or group. However, that explanation did little to ease the backlash.

Mayor And Supervisor Condemn Project

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie described the game as 'horrific' and said it was contrary to the city's values. Bilal Mahmood, the supervisor representing the Tenderloin, criticised the project as an example of a 'pretentious and privileged point of view'. He said Biojout's approach did not represent the majority of people working in the technology sector.

Mahmood also said the city had largely shut down many of the neighbourhood's open-air drug markets over the previous two years. On the day the controversy emerged, he was working with entrepreneurs to announce investment in the Arts District.

The initiative aimed to support independent theatre and revitalise the Market Street corridor. Resident William Duffy responded sarcastically, suggesting a shooting game was the last thing the neighbourhood needed.

Social Media Users Divided Over Game

Online reactions were largely critical, with some accusing Biojout of lacking empathy and dehumanising vulnerable residents. Others contrasted the game with titles set in fictional or historic locations, such as Alcatraz, arguing that the Tenderloin was a real community dealing with serious social problems.

Meanwhile, some people defended the project, arguing that public frustration should be directed at local government over conditions in the neighbourhood rather than at the developer.

Biojout removed the game and its promotional material from public access. In a statement on X, he acknowledged that the project and its marketing demonstrated 'poor judgment'. Neighbourhood leaders' efforts remain focused on tackling open-air drug markets and investing in the area's revitalisation.