Sexist “harem-building” game from China now has an English version
We tried it, and it's as bad as we expected
Since then it had been banned in the country for being “inappropriate” -- but now it’s back. And guess what? It’s even making a push into the West: An English version called Be The King came out in August. At one point, it was the 11th most popular role-playing game in the US, according to App Annie.
First off, a little context. In this game, you play as a government official controlling a noble family in feudal China. You’re trying to gain power and influence to attain the status of lordship or even kingship. And a major way to do that is to build a harem: A large group of wives and concubines who can give you children.
Part of the game involves me “summoning” my wife into my chamber. She would then strip. And the next thing you know, we have a baby.
The more, uh, interactions you have with your wife, the more “intimacy points” and babies you’ll have.
If you don’t find this ridiculous, let me add this: My wife was sent as a gift from her father to me because our dads are old friends.
I do understand why some people might like games like this though. After a long day of work, perhaps all you want is just some form of passive entertainment. While my experience tells me this genre is generally not popular in the West, it’s the exact opposite in China. Many people even stream these sort of games on sites like Bilibili.
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For more insights into China tech, sign up for our tech newsletters, subscribe to our Inside China Tech podcast, and download the comprehensive 2019 China Internet Report. Also roam China Tech City, an award-winning interactive digital map at our sister site Abacus.