What is Jubensha? 剧本杀 / 劇本殺
Jubensha (剧本杀, literally "script kill") is the Chinese script-based murder mystery roleplaying game. A small group of 4-12 players each receive a detailed character script before the game, then spend 3-8 hours roleplaying their characters, investigating a fictional murder, and working toward a final accusation and reveal.
Origins and growth
Jubensha emerged in mainland China around 2016, building on earlier Chinese boxed mystery games and inspired by the Western game "Death Wears White" (谁是凶手). The format became massively popular among Chinese millennials and Gen Z between 2018 and 2022, with dedicated venues opening in every major city. By 2021, the Chinese Jubensha industry was estimated at over $2 billion in annual revenue, with hundreds of thousands of unique script titles published.
Interest in Jubensha has spread to overseas Chinese communities, especially in North America, the UK, and Australia, with English-language Jubensha scripts and AI-powered platforms now making the format accessible to non-Chinese-speaking players.
How a Jubensha session runs
A traditional Jubensha session follows a structured arc: character reading (30-60 minutes for each player to absorb their character script, done silently), introduction round (each player introduces their character to the group), investigation phases (typically 2-4 rounds of exploration, with players searching locations, finding clues, and interrogating NPCs played by the host or AI), private clue exchanges (players share or hide information based on their character's goals), and finally accusation and reveal (each player commits to a theory of the crime and the host narrates what actually happened).
Jubensha vs Western murder mystery parties
The most important differences are session length (Jubensha typically runs 3-8 hours vs. 60-90 minutes for Western kits), character depth (Jubensha character scripts are 10-15 pages of dense backstory; Western kits give a one-page card), venue culture (Jubensha is typically played at dedicated themed venues; Western murder mystery parties are usually private home gatherings), and player commitment (Jubensha players are expected to fully inhabit their character's motivations and engage in extended roleplay).
See our full comparison: What is a murder mystery party? →
Jubensha on MysteryPartyNow
MysteryPartyNow supports a Jubensha mode for English-language and bilingual players. The platform handles the parts of Jubensha that traditionally required a dedicated venue and professional host: an AI Dungeon Master (AI DM) narrates exploration in the table's preferred language, voices NPCs during interrogations, distributes private clues to player phones, and tracks the multi-hour phase structure. This allows a Jubensha session to happen at any home, restaurant, or office table without the overhead of booking a venue or training a host.
Jubensha scripts on MysteryPartyNow run longer than Western scenarios (typically 3-5 hours instead of 60-90 minutes) and include the deeper character backstory that defines the genre.
Frequently asked questions
What does Jubensha mean?
Jubensha literally translates as "script kill" or "script murder" — 剧本 (jùběn) meaning "script" and 杀 (shā) meaning "kill." The name reflects the format: each player receives a detailed character script before the game, often 5-15 pages long, containing the character's backstory, relationships, secrets, and goals within the mystery. The term emerged in mainland China around 2016 as a category name for script-based roleplay games inspired by the Western game "Death Wears White" and earlier Chinese boxed mystery games. By 2021 the Jubensha industry in China was estimated at over $2 billion in annual revenue, with thousands of dedicated venues in major cities.
How is Jubensha different from a Western murder mystery party?
Jubensha differs from Western murder mystery parties in three main ways. First, session length: Jubensha games typically run 3 to 8 hours, compared to 60 to 90 minutes for most Western formats. The longer length allows for deeper character roleplay and more complex plot structures. Second, character depth: Jubensha character scripts are often 10-15 pages of dense backstory, relationships, and internal monologue, where Western kits give a one-page character card. Players are expected to fully inhabit their character's motivations. Third, venue culture: Jubensha is typically played at dedicated venues with themed rooms, professional hosts, and provided snacks, where Western murder mystery parties are usually hosted in private homes.
How many players does Jubensha need?
Jubensha scripts are usually written for a fixed number of players, most commonly 6 to 8, though scripts exist for groups as small as 4 and as large as 12. Unlike Western murder mystery formats that can scale to different group sizes by selecting a subset of characters, traditional Jubensha scripts require the exact player count specified — every character has plot-essential information that cannot be cut without breaking the mystery. AI-powered platforms like MysteryPartyNow are starting to change this by allowing dynamic character scaling, but the classic Jubensha experience is built around a fixed cast.
What types of Jubensha scripts exist?
Jubensha scripts are typically categorized by tone and difficulty. "Hard reasoning" (硬核推理) scripts focus on logical deduction and have a clear single solution, similar to a Sherlock Holmes story. "Emotional" (情感) scripts emphasize character relationships, betrayal, and tragic backstory over puzzle-solving. "Mechanic" (机制) scripts include game-like elements such as hidden information rounds, voting phases, or special abilities. "Horror" (恐怖) scripts add supernatural or psychological horror themes, sometimes played in darkened rooms with sound effects. Most experienced Jubensha players have preferences across these categories, similar to how board game enthusiasts gravitate toward specific mechanics.
Can you play Jubensha online or only in person?
Jubensha is traditionally an in-person game played at dedicated venues with one host (called "DM" or 主持人) running the session for the table. Online and app-based versions exist, especially since the 2020-2022 pandemic period, but most enthusiasts agree the genre loses something in remote play because the deep character roleplay relies on reading body language and table energy. AI-powered platforms like MysteryPartyNow now offer a hybrid: in-person play with phone-delivered private clues and an AI Dungeon Master that handles narration, NPC dialogue, and detective hints, removing the need for a professional human host while keeping the social experience around a real table.
Try Jubensha mode
Play Jubensha-style scripts on MysteryPartyNow. AI Dungeon Master included.
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