Chance Blair charged with choking and sexual assault

An indie game developer and boudoir photographer from Sydney’s northwest has been charged over multiple allegations of physical and sexual violence.

Police arrested Chance Blair in Sydney's northwest in May over disturbing allegations of violence. Picture: Instagram

An indie game developer and self-described “boudoir photographer” is behind bars on remand accused of multiple choking, violent and sexual charges.

Police arrested Zero Hour Interactive director Chance Blair, 34, in Sydney’s northwest in May over multiple disturbing allegations of violence.

His charges include multiple accusations of choking, a sexual assault, physical assault, and recording and distributing intimate images.

Since Blair’s arrest, online chatter has abounded over the now uncertain fate of a hotly anticipated Vietnam War-inspired video game he designed and crowd-funded called Burning Lands.

The Quakers Hill man has now been bail refused for two and a half months, with police adding multiple new charges ahead of his latest appearance at Hornsby Local Court.

Chance Blair. Picture: Instagram

In documents tendered to the court, police allege Blair choked a woman three times by “placing his hands around the throat and squeezing tightly, causing her to struggle to breathe”.

Police also allege Blair assaulted the woman twice, intentionally recorded and then distributed intimate images of her without consent, and intimidated her.

Blair was due to apply for the charges, including the three choking accusations, to be dealt with in the local court on mental health grounds on August 27.

If that application had not succeeded, he was to defend the charges at the same court in November after pleading not guilty.

On Tuesday, the court heard neither hearing may be able to proceed as a newly laid charge of sexual intercourse without consent must proceed in the NSW District Court.

Police prosecutor Denise Vavayas told the court the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions was yet to determine whether it would now elect to act in the other 22 charges.

Magistrate Margaret McGlynn adjourned the matter to August 27 for that advice to be provided.

Blair did not apply for bail and it was formally refused.

On social media, Blair describes himself as a “boudoir photographer”, game developer, water child and film nerd.

He launched his business in September 2019, saying he has 25 employees in 11 countries, and is intimately involved in his projects from design and asset creation to budget and marketing.

Chance Blair. Picture: Instagram

Gaming forums are alight with speculation about the fate of Blair’s unfinished game, described as a “tactical multiplayer first-person shooter set in the Vietnam War era”.

Crowd-funding site Kickstarter indicates Burning Lands attracted $78,000 from backers, before losing almost $30,000 as some supporters withdrew their pledges.

“Burning Lands, my brainchild, will not be halted by this temporary roadblock,” Blair wrote in a statement.

“Development is not at a standstill – investment conversations are buzzing in the background, ensuring that Burning Lands continues to evolve.”

In a previous post, Blair acknowledged multiple developers involved with Burning Lands had walked away due to a dispute over compensation.

Blair is not accused of any criminal or civil wrongdoing in relation to Burning Lands.

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