Hundred Nights: DIFU Developer Discusses Chinese Underworld Sim, AAA Differences
The developer's explicit rejection of AAA-style cutscenes in favor of embedding Chinese cultural narratives into management sim mechanics positions Hundred Nights: DIFU as a deliberate alternative to big-budget productions, using gameplay itself as the vehicle for cultural export.
Reporting from 2 sources: 4Gamer.net, Automaton.
At the Bilibili First Look event in June 2026, PixelsCove Games showed a demo of Hundred Nights: DIFU, a management simulation set in the Chinese underworld Diyu. The story begins after Sun Wukong destroys Diyu, and the player manages the judgment, punishment, and reincarnation of souls. The game features free-form 3D terrain within a 100x100x100 meter space, with physics-based interactions such as using braziers to heat copper pillars for faster punishment. Souls have a yin lifespan and can live in Fengdu City, where they develop needs like eating and entertainment. Producer Fan Lifang said in an interview that the game aims for a different approach from AAA titles, using the management sim format to tell stories from Chinese mythology and history, including the True and False Monkey King and generals Bai Qi and Wang Jian. The demo was built by eight team members over five months. The game is planned for PC and consoles, with an alpha test scheduled for late 2026.
The interview with producer Fan Lifang revealed that the team deliberately avoided a grid-based building system to allow free placement and fine-tuning, with snap-to-grid offered as an optional feature. The physics system includes wind and heat updrafts: placing a brazier below a copper pillar heats it red, and steam from a Steamer Hell rises vertically, so players must build platforms above to use that heat. This forces three-dimensional thinking even for efficiency-focused players.
Random events tied to mythological stories will appear, such as the blooming of a Stone Lotus attracting Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, which can trigger a scenario involving the real and fake Sun Wukong. The roguelite elements are light, compared by Fan to the fishing loop in Dave the Diver. The team is based in Chongqing, and Fan cited the relaxed local culture and lower costs as conducive to creative work. Humor is a selling point: animations show judges standing on desks and scolding souls, and spirit officers may fall off ladders while brewing Mengpo Soup. The full version will expand on training for Mingli, including skill learning, salary negotiations, and stamina management. Fan said the Western hell theme could be considered for DLC but the main game focuses on Chinese Diyu.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.