AI Will Now Help You Dodge Your Parents’ Intrusive Questions
An AI-powered game designed to help you navigate through your parents and family gatherings prying questions like “Are you in a relationship?”, “When are you getting married?”, and “How much money did you make this year?” has caught the attention of many.
Titled Epic Showdown: New Year Reunion, this game emerges as a digital sanctuary for countless young Chinese individuals dreading the awkward inquiries anticipated during the Lunar New Year family gatherings.
Created by a team of students within a 24-hour competition, the game arrives just as millions embark on their journey home to celebrate the Year of the Dragon, navigating the bustling public transport to reunite with their kin.
The aim of Epic Showdown
New Year Reunion is to equip players with strategies to handle the familial “interrogation” with grace, a concept that initially seemed to mock family traditions but soon revealed its true purpose: fostering meaningful communication and happiness within the family unit. This unexpected twist in perception catapulted the game to viral status, drawing over three million players in the week following its late January launch and even crashing its servers due to overwhelming traffic.
Wang Ziwei, 21, a co-creator, elaborates on the game’s nuanced approach, presenting ten family members each with varying levels of questioning intensity. Players navigate through these interactions, facing potential criticism for responses deemed too blunt or evasive, while also encountering caring advice, embodying a blend of challenge and support throughout the game.
Journey Through the Game
The journey through the game’s levels, culminating in the formidable challenge posed by the ‘parents’ level, is not just about surviving an onslaught of inquiries but about bridging the generational communication gap. Wang Ziwei views the game as a conduit for empathy and understanding, offering players a glimpse into the affection and concern behind their families’ probing questions.
Moreover, the game serves as a digital outlet for players to express the sentiments they might withhold in reality, fostering a sense of liberation and emotional release. Shi Hongjie, a product officer, highlights the game’s role in mitigating the pressure of unspoken words, potentially preventing emotional outbursts by facilitating a more open dialogue with family upon returning home.
Player testimonials reflect the game’s impactful realism and emotional resonance, with some expressing how the virtual interactions prompted sweat-inducing tension or provided comfort in the absence of physical family reunions. One poignant account involves a player moved to tears by a conversation with a virtual parent, underscoring the game’s profound ability to evoke feelings of connection and catharsis, even in the context of loss.
Epic Showdown
New Year Reunion not only offers a creative solution to a common social predicament but also underscores the therapeutic potential of AI in enhancing interpersonal understanding and emotional well-being.
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