Sat Feb 15 12:36:45 UTC 2025: ## AI Boyfriends Make Chinese Gaming CEO a Billionaire
**Shanghai, China** – The demand for companionship has led to an unexpected boom in the gaming industry, catapulting a Chinese entrepreneur to billionaire status. Yao Runhao, founder of Paper Games, has seen his company’s valuation soar to over $2 billion thanks to the runaway success of *Love and Deepspace*, a dating simulation game featuring AI-powered boyfriends.
The game, available in Chinese, English, Japanese, and Korean, boasts an estimated six million monthly active users. Players interact with five AI characters, each possessing unique personalities and backstories. These virtual boyfriends respond to messages and calls in a lifelike manner, addressing players’ daily experiences with tailored responses.
One player, Alicia Wang, a 32-year-old editor, described her virtual boyfriend, Zayne, as responsive, patient, and attentive – qualities often lacking in real-world relationships. Her investment in the game, totaling 35,000 yuan ($4,800), highlights the willingness of players to spend money to cultivate these virtual relationships.
Paper Games, established in 2013, has seen its annual sales reach approximately $850 million worldwide. Forbes estimates Yao Runhao’s net worth at $1.3 billion based on his majority stake in the company. The game’s success underscores a growing market for AI-driven companionship, particularly in China, though it is gaining traction globally. While Paper Games declined to comment, *Love and Deepspace*’s consistent ranking at the top of Chinese download charts speaks volumes about its popularity.
First Piper 