Video games set in Hong Kong, from ‘the world’s worst’ to a cyberpunk cat game to one compared to Grand Theft Auto

Upcoming game Stray, where you play as a cyberpunk cat prowling a futuristic, neon-lit city, is far from the only video game inspired by Hong Kong

The gaming industry has been a fan of Hong Kong as far back as 1984 – notable titles include one dubbed ‘the world’s worst’ and a ‘Hong Kong Grand Theft Auto’

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A still from Sleeping Dogs, one of the many games set in or inspired by Hong Kong. Others include one that has been called “the world’s worst video game”.

Published: 7:45pm, 13 Jan 2022

After a disappointing 2021, gamers are looking forward to a bumper 2022 with the promised release of several long-awaited titles across consoles.

Chief among them is Stray, which was pushed back to an “early 2022” release before the Annapurna Interactive showcase last July. The game, previously with an October 2021 release, is going to be six years in the making by the time it arrives. Annapurna Interactive is a game publisher that works with game creators from around the world.

Originally referred to as “HK Project”, Stray has remained shrouded in mystery and has been turning heads since it was first announced in 2016.

There’s little wonder why – you can count on one (virtual) paw the number of games that let you play as a cyberpunk cat prowling what looks like a futuristic city that takes its template from Hong Kong’s Kowloon Walled City.

Stray, however, is far from the first game to take its inspiration from Hong Kong.

Much like how the global film industry has called upon the city as both backdrop and character, the gaming industry has been a fan of Hong Kong as far back as Travel with Trashman (for the ZX Spectrum in 1984).