She also sees the popularity of romance scripts as part of a broader shift in how some young people think about intimacy.
In the past, love tended to come as a package – emotional closeness, trust, companionship and the responsibilities of building a shared life, many of which still fall disproportionately on women in China, she said.
Today, some women still want emotional connection but not necessarily the obligations that come with a conventional relationship.
And against the uncertainty of real-world dating, a few carefully scripted hours can feel like a simpler and more predictable way of getting what they want.
Players who have worked in the industry themselves tend to see the fantasy for what it is.
Yanyan from Changzhou said that she knows the performer across from her is delivering the same lines to countless others.
“I do get hooked but I’ll hold back,” she said.
“The performance doesn’t fool me,” said Xiaokui, 29, who only wants to be known by her nickname.
She started playing about a year ago after previously working at an immersive role-play venue.
“When I worked in that field, I’d say the same things to players,” she added.
