Jubensha
Jubensha (Chinese: 剧本杀; pinyin: Jùběnshā) translates to scripted murder and, more simplistically, refers to Chinese murder mystery games. These typically run for 3-5 hours long, with approximately 4-12 players. Recent research on the format has more precisely defined it as "...a script-centred group game about collaboratively understanding an unfolding series of fictional events."[1]
After some English murder mysteries were translated into Chinese and the airing of murder-mystery style reality shows in 2013, the format became quickly well-established across the country, leading to the establishment of clubs and companies in the thousands. Digital apps for jubenshas allowed interest in the genre to be maintained during COVID-19 restrictions, and afterwards exploded in popularity as a great source of structured social interaction; growing to approximately 10 million active players, becoming a nationally recognised phenomenon and anticipated to be a billion-dollar industry.[2]
The sheer size of the subculture has also encouraged it to grow beyond strictly murder-mystery-focussed games and to establish its own literary conventions. It is considered more script-centred, rather than on character improvisation; where "immersive" and character exploration are considered sub-categories of the form rather than inherent to it[1], giving very different social dynamics and expectations when compared to western theatre-style games of similar length and player size.
Example games
- A Ghostwriter's (Pro/Epi)logue for 4 players
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Adrian Hon (2025, 26th March)"Here's What Makes Jubensha Different", blog post, MSSV website. Retrieved 13th July 2026.
- ↑ Ghorbanpour, Kamiab (2023-03-23). "Jubensha: the mix of Cluedo, Werewolf and LARP that became a Chinese phenomenon". Dicebreaker. Archived from the original on 2023-04-24. Retrieved 13 July 2026.