Google has removed popular psychological horror game Doki Doki Literature Club! from the Play Store.

Google has removed popular psychological horror game Doki Doki Literature Club! from the Play Store. According to Dan Salvato, who led its development team, and publisher Serenity Forge, Google told them the visual novel was removed because it violated its Terms of Service in its depiction of sensitive themes. The game is “widely celebrated for portraying mental health in a way that meaningfully connects deeply with players around the world,” they said in their announcement. Its free version, which came out first, has been downloaded at least 30 million times, while the paid “Plus” version has had at least one million downloads. The visual novel has repeatedly made Engadget’s lists of favorite games over the years.

**alternative download link you can download it from https://com-serenityforge-dokidokiliteratureclub.en.uptodown.com/android/download

Don’t know if it is trustworthy though.

You play download the PC version officially from steam, only android was removed: https://store.steampowered.com/app/698780/Doki_Doki_Literature_Club/ **

  • IllNess@infosec.pubEnglish
    56·
    20 hours ago

    Its Play listing was appropriately marked as “Mature 17+,” which means that children won’t be able to download it if their devices have parental controls. In addition, the developers clearly communicate that the game tackles serious issues. “This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed” is the first line of the game.

    Looks like the developers and publisher did everything right. Play has a ton of games where you kill people. Google’s inconsistency shines again.

  • GasMaskedLunatic@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    93·
    23 hours ago

    I’ve seen shit on X far worse than the shit in Doki Doki in literally every way possible. Why is their app still available for download? Fuck you, Google.

    • Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      9·
      17 hours ago

      Maybe two companies deciding what apps are good for 99.9% of smartphone users isn’t a good thing? Perhaps our trust has gone a little too far? I like your sentiment, it’s time to be furious about this.

    • HyperfocusSurfer@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      11·
      12 hours ago

      I mean, if they ban twatter, poor pedos loose the ability to conveniently generate csam, and pedos are pretty much a (the?) protected minority nowadays. Arguably, also applies to nazis, but assuming they can read is a stretch, so they can simply use any note taking app instead

      • Fushuan [he/him]@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        40·
        22 hours ago

        No. X is an app that’s a sizable on google Play. If they are banning dokindoki, why not ban X, which has far worse shit?

        That’s what they meant. is the one doing the banning, so it makes sense to criticise it even if they are not the owners of X. Reading comprehension.

      • Yttra@lemmy.worldEnglish
        9·
        23 hours ago

        The very same app that almost got removed from Google Play (and Apple’s App Store) for ToS violations such as planning to disable account blocking functionality?

        Yes, that is indeed how it works.

          • Arcane2077@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            21·
            22 hours ago

            Please explain why you think CSAM, gore, and revenge porn aggregator X is the entire internet and try to do it without being arrested

          • Fushuan [he/him]@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
            6·
            22 hours ago

            Why are you talking about the internet as a whole when the context is apps on the play store, a (extremely poorly but yet) curated subset?

            No one is talking about banning X as a whole. Well, you, since you misunderstood apparently.

          • webghost0101@sopuli.xyzEnglish
            3·
            21 hours ago

            You forgot an “/s” because yes that is a fair criticism toward google.

            Banning this game under that logic would be just as dumb as banning most of the internet and if their rules where enforced consistently then that is what they should do.

            But the contextual key here is that they should keep the game on their store and maintain consistently enforced guidelines of what is actually not allowed.

  • Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    10·
    22 hours ago

    I wonder if FEX (Valve’s X86 to ARM conversion software) could run this now on an android phone. The game’s freely distributed on PC, so it should be easy to test.

    • NewOldGuard@lemmy.mlEnglish
      2·
      17 hours ago

      Winlator or gamehub could probably run it on Android. And FEX does get valve funding but it’s actually an independent effort

  • MonkderVierte@lemmy.zipEnglish
    112·
    22 hours ago

    because it violated its Terms of Service in its depiction of sensitive themes.

    This rule can’t be legal for a gatekeeper.

    • paraphrand@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      15 hours ago

      Freedom of speech not freedom of reach. New laws would have to be made that force private companies to publish the work of others with no restrictions.