Murder board game is deadly serious

"Especially in case of university students, playing Jubensha games and the process of problem-solving meet their needs to find the real self," she adds.

"I have met many university students who can not go to their universities abroad to study because of COVID-19, and they sometimes spend day and night playing," Li Shijia says. And there's a variety of players-pregnant women, mothers with daughters and even players with pet dogs.

Each script costs from 150 yuan ($23.3) to 250 yuan per person. The number of players ranges from eight to 15. Meals and drinks can be ordered through apps for delivery.

At the end of April, the first offline shop for the reality show Who's the Murderer-called Me-city-opened in Changsha. It was a hit, with 900 visits during the five-day Labor Day holiday.

Shop owners purchase scripts and provide the venue and props. The players complete the chain.

According to Dianping Research, a research branch affiliated with Meituan company, the total market value of the Jubensha industry will reach 31 billion yuan by 2023.

The requirements for entry are not high. Lin Qiuru, a 27-year-old owner of a board game shop, says she invested about 200,000 yuan to open her shop on Changshou Road in Shanghai's Putuo district.

In many cases, owners of board game shops are enthusiasts of the games themselves, and that's the case with Lin. Before opening the shop recently, she had been playing Jubensha for two years. She used to be a beauty blogger.