A man in China has been put to death for fatally poisoning a billionaire gaming tycoon in connection to a dispute over the Netflix adaptation of the sci-fi book series ‘3 Body Problem’. Chinese authorities carried out the execution of Xu Yao following his conviction for using poisonous substances to kill Lin Qi, the gaming tycoon, during a professional conflict, as reported by local media.
Lin Qi, the founder of the Shanghai-based Yoozoo Games, possessed the film adaptation rights for the renowned science-fiction trilogy named after its initial book, ‘The Three-Body Problem’, authored by Chinese writer Liu Cixin. This trilogy has been translated into over 40 languages and transformed into television and gaming projects, including Netflix’s popular ‘3 Body Problem’ series released in 2024.
Xu, previously a top executive at a Yoozoo Games subsidiary, poisoned Lin in December 2020 due to feeling marginalized after assisting his superior in securing the Netflix deal. Reports indicate that Xu was sentenced for the murder in 2024, leading to his execution by the Chinese government on May 21. Lin’s company confirmed the execution through a statement on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, expressing gratitude for the delivery of justice.
Xu reportedly purchased highly toxic substances online, including alpha-amanitin, a lethal compound present in certain poisonous mushrooms, spending hundreds of thousands of yuan. He concealed the poison in probiotic pills and mixed it into coffee capsules, water containers, and whisky bottles, which he shared with Lin and other company staff.
Following Lin’s sudden illness in December 2020, he was rushed to the hospital but tragically passed away a few days later at the age of 39. Several others also fell ill but recovered, according to local press accounts. ‘The Three-Body Problem’ series has garnered immense popularity both in China and internationally, with its author, Liu, being the first Chinese writer to win the prestigious Hugo Award, the top accolade in the genre.
Within the country, the series has catalyzed the expansion of a science fiction industry encompassing movies, video games, books, magazines, and exhibitions.
