San Francisco techie takes down zombie video game that let players kill homeless people: 'It showed poor judgment' | Hindustan Times - Hindustan Times
“I built and posted a zombie game set on San Francisco streets. Your game was fantastic satire,” Kazanjy commented. “You made a great game!
Subscribe Now! Get features like
A San Francisco techie has taken down a controversial video game that turned the city’s Tenderloin neighbourhood into a zombie-killing zone after facing backlash over allegations that it allowed players to target homeless people and drug users. Pierre-Louis Biojout, the creator of the free multiplayer browser game, announced on Friday that he took the game down.
“I built and posted a zombie game set on San Francisco streets. The setting and the way I promoted it showed poor judgment,” Biojout wrote on X. “Targeting people struggling with addiction or homelessness was never my intention,” he added.
Biojout also said that he refunded all advertisers and made a personal donation to a drug treatment and recovery service equivalent to the revenue generated by the game. “I’ve taken the game and promotional posts down, refunded all advertisers, and made a personal donation to treatment and recovery services by Delancey Street equal to the game’s total revenue,” he said.
According to a report by the New York Post, Biojout had unveiled the game on Tuesday, describing it as a “Call of Duty-style zombie shooter on the real SF streets”. He claimed to have built it in just one weekend using artificial intelligence (AI) coding tools. The developer had also said that the game had generated $300 in advertising revenue before the controversy erupted.
The game drew widespread criticism on social media, with users accusing Biojout of turning San Francisco’s homelessness and drug addiction crisis into entertainment.
“You think you’re being edgy but you’re just a huge piece of s–t,” one user wrote.
“Bring back shame. This is atrocious PR,” another commented.
The backlash also drew criticism from elected officials. Bilal Mahmood, the San Francisco supervisor representing the Tenderloin neighbourhood, condemned the concept of the game. “Turning violence against real people, including unhoused people, into entertainment is dehumanizing and should never be normalized,” Mahmood told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Biojout, who founded NanoCorp, a company that markets a platform using AI agents to build and operate online businesses, told the newspaper that he walks through the Tenderloin twice a day on his way to work. He said he had viewed the neighbourhood’s “distinctive atmosphere” as suitable for a zombie-shooter game.
(Also Read: Indian man in San Francisco uses Claude to stay on 24x7 video call with mom: 'When she gets up at 3 am...')
Still, the decision to remove the game did not receive unanimous support online. Peter Kazanjy, the founder of a San Francisco-based sales software company, defended Biojout and criticised those who had called for the game to be taken down.
“The people b****ing at you have luxury beliefs and should shut the f*** up and put their energy into actually doing something versus whining at someone doing something. Your game was fantastic satire,” Kazanjy commented.
“Seriously the people taking shots at you were more concerned about what happens in a video game than in real life,” said another user.
“You made a great game! The fact some people are more bothered by the game than the actual epidemic on the streets speaks volumes on their screwed up agenda. Never give in to temper tantrums from grown ass babies!” commented one user.
Bhavya Sukheja is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 6 years of experience in digital journalism. She specialises in covering stories that reflect everyday human experiences, with a focus on viral videos, social media trends, and human-interest features that inform readers while sparking meaningful conversations. She loves chasing page views and finding stories that tug at readers’ heartstrings. Before joining Hindustan Times, Bhavya worked with Republic World and NDTV, where she developed her skills in real-time reporting and digital storytelling. Working in fast-paced newsrooms helped her build an editorial approach that prioritises accuracy, clarity, and audience engagement. Bhavya is driven by a curiosity about how people communicate and connect in the digital age. She is particularly interested in stories that highlight cultural shifts, shared emotions, and the evolving nature of online conversations. When she is not tracking trends, Bhavya enjoys unplugging and spending time with her cat. Read More