A woman who lures men to extort money has emerged, and a game known as 'flower snake game' is causing controversy online.
According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the 7th (local time), shortly after its release in China last month, the game known as 'flower snake game' (lao nvu you xi, 藍女遊戲, also referred to as revenge on flower snakes) topped the popularity list on the gaming distribution platform Steam, leading to accusations that it fuels misogyny in China.
In the game, players take on the role of a male protagonist who deals with women who approach and entice them for their money.
Criticism has arisen that the game's setting reinforces insulting gender stereotypes. Artist Xu Yikun noted, "The game's name itself is already misogynistic," adding that "if a boyfriend has a lot of money or if a woman just decorates her appearance, the term 'flower snake' is attached."
In particular, the fact that all flower snake characters in the game are female and dialogues such as 'look at how much money he spends to see how much the man loves you' are problematic.
As criticism intensified, the production company entirely changed the game's name to 'romance scam prevention simulation.' The production team explained, "We had no intention targeting women; we just wanted an open dialogue about the emotional boundaries and gray areas in modern relationships."
Also, following the controversy, it was reported that the game director (general producer) was blocked on several Chinese social media platforms.
Players supporting the game argued that "not all women are flower snakes, and the issue of romance scams is serious," claiming that the criticisms being raised are excessive.
Despite the controversy, this game continues to gain popularity, maintaining a spot in the top ranks, surpassing 'Black Myth: OKONG,' which was a huge hit in China last year.
The BBC analyzed that, in the social atmosphere of China, where traditional gender roles are emphasized and repression against gender equality activists occurs, games with such discriminatory elements further strengthen existing gender norms.