A new video game in China, originally titled Revenge on Gold Diggers, has sparked a fierce national debate over sexism and gender stereotypes. The live-action game, which quickly shot to the top of Steam's sales charts after its June release, puts players in the shoes of men targeted by women seeking money, per the BBC. Supporters argue the game spotlights the risk of love scams and doesn't single out one gender. But the game's premise has drawn fire for perpetuating negative stereotypes about women—especially since all the "gold digger" characters are female. Critics argue that the game reinforces misogynistic ideas and normalizes derogatory language.
Artist Xu Yikun, among other opponents, claims the game's creators are leveraging controversy for profit, and that terms like "gold digger" unfairly stigmatize women for anything from accepting a drink to having a wealthy boyfriend. The backlash led the developers to change the game's name to Emotional Anti-Fraud Simulator just a day after launch, but that didn't calm the uproar. Director Mark Hu has since been banned from several Chinese social media platforms. While some local media have condemned the game for labeling women as fraudsters, others say it's creative and highlights a real social problem, citing nearly $280 million lost to love scams last year. Despite the controversy, the game remains a hit, ranking among China's top 10 PC titles, per Bloomberg.
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