# Shanghai Life

> Shanghai Life is a free, browser-based multiplayer life simulation game set in Shanghai, China. Players create a character, find jobs, rent homes, commute by metro across nine districts, collect local foods, places and moments, and see and interact with other real players. No download; works on phones and computers. All in-game money is fictional.

- Play: https://shanghai.dadgogo.com/
- Price: free (no purchase required)
- Platform: web browser (mobile and desktop)
- Language: English
- Genre: life simulation, casual, multiplayer
- Made by: Jiang Da, independent developer

## Key facts

- Inspired by browser life-sims like Lagos Life and by The Sims-style needs systems, set in a simplified Shanghai.
- Six needs (hunger, energy, hygiene, bladder, fun, social) drive the character's mood; mood affects how much they earn.
- Nine districts: The Bund (Huangpu), Lujiazui, Jing'an, Wukang Road (Xuhui), Hongkou, Wujiaochang (Yangpu), Qibao (Minhang), Songjiang, Zhangjiang. Four simplified metro lines; travel by metro, shared bike or ride-hailing; rush hours 7:30–9:30 and 17:00–19:30.
- Core decision: live far out with cheap rent and long commutes, or pay more to live near work.
- 11 rentable homes, from a hostel bunk (¥350/week) to a Bund penthouse; rent due every 7 days; eviction after 3 days unpaid.
- 8 jobs (café barista to investment analyst) plus delivery and ride-hailing gigs; strikes for lateness; 5 promotion levels; Career and Mandarin skills unlock better jobs. Players can also open a café.
- 28 places to visit and 20+ Shanghai-flavoured random events (trash-sorting quiz, Line 9 rush hour, plum rain, landlord rent rise, People's Park marriage market, the boss's late-night "在吗?").
- Shanghai Book: 55 collectible foods, places and moments.
- Multiplayer: live "online" count, a city-wide activity feed, nearby players in your district, player profiles, waves and gifts (bubble tea, xiaolongbao, flowers), district noticeboards, leaderboards. Guests can play without an account but are invisible to others.
- Optional 3D city view with landmarks such as the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower, day/night and weather.
- Daily red envelope with streaks; daily recap shareable as an image.

## Pages

- [How to play](https://shanghai.dadgogo.com/how-to-play.html): full guide to needs, jobs, rent, metro, events, players, FAQ
- [About](https://shanghai.dadgogo.com/about.html): who makes the game and what is real vs fictional
- [Privacy](https://shanghai.dadgogo.com/privacy.html): data collected, cookies, account deletion

## FAQ

- Is it free? Yes.
- Can you earn real money? No; in-game money is virtual and cannot be withdrawn.
- Is it multiplayer? Yes; players share the same city and can see and interact with each other. It is not real-time action — presence updates about every 20 seconds.
- Do I need to download anything? No.