Tenderloin Zombie Shooter: What It Means for SF's Homeless

The controversy highlights the ethical risks of turning real-world suffering into entertainment and raises questions about the responsibility of tech founders in their side projects.

The controversy highlights the ethical risks of turning real-world suffering into entertainment and raises questions about the responsibility of tech founders in their side projects.

Key points - Pierre-Louis Biojout, founder of NanoCorp, created a zombie shooter set in San Francisco's Tenderloin district. - The game, Tenderloin Night Shift, featured 'zombies' including a fentanyl addict and a Black security guard. - Biojout said he made $300 from in-game ads before deleting his X post and removing the game. - Critics, including the SF Coalition on Homelessness, called the game dehumanizing and exploitative. - Biojout claimed he did not intend to depict shooting real people and noted tech workers were also characters.

Timeline - October 13: Biojout posts about the game on X, stating he monetized the Tenderloin as a zombie shooter. - Following days: Criticism mounts from SF residents and leaders; Biojout deletes his X post. - Soon after: Tenderloin Night Shift is removed from NanoCorp's website.

FAQ

Q: What is Tenderloin Night Shift? A: It's a web-based zombie shooter set in San Francisco's Tenderloin district, created by NanoCorp founder Pierre-Louis Biojout as a weekend vibe coding project.

Q: Why was the game criticized? A: Critics said it dehumanized and exploited residents of the Tenderloin, especially Black and Brown people, by depicting addicts and a Black security guard as zombies to shoot.

Q: Is the game still available? A: No, Tenderloin Night Shift appears to have been removed from NanoCorp's website, and Biojout deleted his promotional X post.