Former Yoozoo Games Executive Sentenced to Death for Murder of “3 Body Problem” Producer
Xu Yao, a former executive at Yoozoo Games, has been handed a death sentence for the murder of Lin Qi, the producer behind Netflix’s trending sci-fi series “3 Body Problem.” The verdict was delivered by the Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court after Xu Yao was found guilty of fatally poisoning Lin Qi, as reported by The New York Times.
Lin Qi, often hailed as China’s “billionaire millennial,” tragically passed away on Christmas Day in 2020, just days after ingesting a poisoned beverage. Xu Yao, who headed a subsidiary overseeing adaptations of the renowned sci-fi book, was implicated in the crime.
The court heard that Lin Qi, CEO of Yoozoo Games, was one of five individuals who fell ill after consuming poisoned drinks in the company’s offices between September and December 2020. Shockingly, Lin Qi was the only casualty of the poison, which Xu Yao was found responsible for lacing.
Notably, Lin Qi’s contributions to the “3 Body Problem” series were posthumously recognized, with him being credited as an executive producer on the show. The Netflix adaptation, spearheaded by acclaimed creators David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo, premiered just a day before Xu Yao’s sentencing.
The tragic incident unfolded amid Yoozoo Games’ negotiations with Netflix to adapt Liu Cixin’s renowned “Remembrance of Earth’s Past” trilogy. Lin Qi, who had invested significantly in securing the rights to the franchise, brought Xu Yao on board to oversee operations related to Liu’s novels. However, Xu Yao’s tenure was marred by underperformance, leading to his demotion and subsequent drastic actions.
Despite the grim circumstances surrounding Lin Qi’s untimely demise, the Netflix adaptation of “3 Body Problem” garnered significant attention and praise, amassing 11 million viewers in its first four days, according to Deadline. The series, while laying the groundwork for future developments, has been lauded for its visual spectacle and thought-provoking exploration of humanity.
