‘Night 3: Settle the baby, pacify’: Horror games and endless tasks the Ghaziabad sisters played

GHAZIABAD: A diary left behind by three minor sisters who died by suicide in Ghaziabad offers a troubling window into the digital universe they had increasingly withdrawn into — one dominated by horror-survival games, repetitive tasks and online walkthroughs. Clinical psychologists say the handwritten notes reflect how deeply the girls had retreated into virtual worlds as their real-life social space steadily narrowed. The diary, accessed by The Times of India, lists four mobile games the sisters were intensely engaged with: Poppy Playtime, The Baby in Yellow, Evil Nun: The Scary Horror Game and Ice Scream. All belong to the horror or puzzle-survival genre, placing players in confined, threatening environments where escape is the central objective. While Poppy Playtime requires an initial payment of around Rs 300, the other titles are free to download but rely heavily on in-app purchases.Poppy Playtime Developed by Mob Entertainment, Poppy Playtime is a first-person puzzle-horror game set inside an abandoned toy factory. Players assume the role of a former employee who returns to uncover what happened to the missing workers, only to be hunted by grotesque, animated toys. Progress depends on solving environmental puzzles, avoiding enemies and navigating dark, claustrophobic spaces. The game has crossed 10 lakh downloads on Google Play, carries a 12+ age rating and charges around Rs 300 to begin playing. Its official description urges players to “stay alive” and “survive the vengeful toys waiting for you.” The Baby in Yellow Developed by Team Terrible, The Baby in Yellow blends horror with dark humour. The player acts as a babysitter tasked with routine chores such as feeding, changing diapers and putting a baby to sleep, while increasingly disturbing paranormal events unfold. The game relies heavily on jump scares, eerie sound design and visual shocks. It has gained massive global popularity, recording over 10 crore downloads worldwide. Evil Nun: The Scary Horror Game Created by Keplerians Games, Evil Nun is set inside a school controlled by a terrifying nun transformed after a zombie-like infection. Players must solve puzzles, free trapped children and escape the premises without being caught. The game features multiple chapters and endings and has amassed more than 5 crore downloads. Ice Scream Also developed by Keplerians Games, Ice Scream revolves around an ice-cream vendor who kidnaps children and freezes them inside his van. Set in a small town, the game requires players to hide, sneak and solve clues while avoiding detection. Like Evil Nun, it is part of a multi-chapter franchise and has crossed 5 crore downloads.Their father, Chetan Kumar, told TOI that the sisters had been playing task-based online games for at least two to three years and were deeply fascinated by Korean culture. They gave one another Korean names and often spoke about wanting to visit the country. Investigators believe the youngest sibling may have started playing these games before the age of 10, despite most of the applications recommending a minimum age of 12.The diary suggests gaming was not casual recreation but a shared routine. Along with playing, the sisters regularly watched YouTube livestreams of gamers playing the same titles — videos that often heighten fear and suspense through exaggerated reactions, jump scares and constant tension.Experts caution against drawing direct or simplistic links between violent games and suicide. “It would be unfair to blame games alone,” said clinical psychologist Pulkit Sharma. “But patterns like these need to be understood as a possible cry for help, especially when children increasingly isolate themselves from the real world.”