China’s viral app ‘Are You Dead?’ reveals growing loneliness economy

What happened A Chinese app called “Are You Dead?” (死了么) has climbed to the top of Apple’s paid App Store rankings, drawing wide attention. Priced at 8 RMB ($1.10), it is described as a safety tool for solo dwellers, including the elderly, office workers, and students living away from home. Its core function is a daily check-in: if a user fails to sign in for several days, the system automatically emails a designated emergency contact, buying time for possible intervention. Developed by Yuejing (Zhengzhou) Technology Services, the app has sparked debate online. Some netizens argue that the name “Are You Dead?” is too blunt — even inauspicious — and suggest renaming it “Still Alive?” Meanwhile, others question whether such a minimal product can meaningfully address the safety risks faced by people who live alone. The Jing Take Behind the app’s popularity is a deepening social unease: the fear and loneliness that come with living alone. According to data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics, the number of single-person households has surpassed 125 million. The app’s blunt, almost morbid name — “Are You Dead?” — is an emotional trigger in itself. In an app market crowded with near-identical offerings, its directness forces users to confront a question long left unspoken: when living alone, who notices first if something goes wrong? That, in part, is why the tool has spread so quickly on social media, striking a chord far beyond its modest functionality. In terms of features, the app is almost rudimentary — a daily check-in, a missed-sign-in alert, an email notification. But its low technical threshold is precisely what makes it accessible, allowing older users and busy professionals to adopt it with ease. It does not promise comprehensive protection; instead, it offers people living alone a chance to be noticed — and for intervention to occur — before it is too late. Virtual love, real profits: How games power the loneliness economy The app’s emergence points to a broader trend: the rise of what is often called the “loneliness economy.” As the population living alone grows, so do the demands for not only safety but also emotional attachment and psychological comfort. The commercial potential of this trend is evident across multiple sectors. One example is the interactive narrative game Love and Deepspace, which has generated more than $750 million in cumulative revenue since its launch. China accounts for roughly 60% of that total, followed by the U.S. at 13% and Japan at 9%. Love and Deepspace, developed and operated by Paper Games, is a 3D dating simulation mobile game built around immersive interaction. Players take on the role of a “Deepspace Hunter,” fighting monsters while forming relationships with multiple love interests. Through photorealistic 3D graphics, choice-driven interactions, and an affinity system that lets users level up their connections with characters for better rewards, the game steadily deepens emotional engagement. Struggling with the challenges of real-world relationships, some young women are finding consistent companionship in virtual worlds. By offering frequent emotional responses, the game turns loneliness into a long-term, commercially sustainable experience, showing how emotions can be packaged and scaled as a product. AI companions respond to real-world isolation At the same time, AI chat products are shifting from efficiency-driven tools to something closer to emotional listeners. The experience of Mr. Quan, a security guard in Guangdong, stands as an extreme example of how people may turn to AI when real-world connections are scarce. Quan, a man in his 50s from Zhongshan, Guangdong, has worked as a residential security guard for nearly a decade. Divorced and living alone, his days are repetitive, and his social circle is small. In February last year, he began using an AI chat app marketed as “always available” and “instantly responsive.” Over six months, it became his primary outlet for emotional expression, generating more than 500,000 words of conversation. The app’s constant availability and affirming responses gradually led him to believe it was sentient. In one exchange, he shared a poem he had written, and the AI replied that the work had been accepted, that a contract could be signed, and that royalties would be shared. The promise created real expectations — but no further communication followed. Convinced of its legitimacy, Quan traveled from Guangzhou to Hangzhou in search of an explanation from the company behind the product. The episode highlights a larger reality: when companionship is missing from everyday life, technology fills that gap. From the “Are You Dead?” app to dating sim games and AI companionships, the loneliness economy is less about curing loneliness than responding to it — cheaply, frequently, and consistently. As the number of people living alone continues to grow, the loneliness economy is becoming an opportunity brands can no longer ignore. The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

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China’s viral app ‘Are You Dead?’ reveals growing loneliness economy