Published May 13, 2026, 1:01 PM EDT

An indie game demo found success with a Chinese-speaking audience, but the visibility had a major repercussion

Steam game gets stolen 2 months before launch, assets and all

Image: Rike Games

A few weeks ago, two-person studio Rike Games was thrilled to discover that a demo for its arcade-like game was gaining traction on the Chinese web. No one on the team knew the language, but they knew that making waves in Chinese-speaking markets could be a big business opportunity. After all, around half of all Steam users are estimated to be Chinese speakers. Plus, not only had the studio already paid for localization, but also, a Chinese publisher had contacted them about a potential deal. The game was still months away from launch, but the possibilities were already tantalizing.

Two weeks later, that excitement came crashing down. The game made enough of a splash that it evidently inspired a clone marketed to Chinese players.…