Lonely Hearts Smitten By Dating Game Characters

What are Otome Games

Otome Games, literally “maiden games” in Japanese, are a subgenre of narrative-based dating simulators that emerged in Japan in the 1990s. Traditionally designed for a female audience, these games revolve around the protagonist navigating romantic plotlines with multiple potential partners.

What makes these games so appealing? Does it fill an emotional void that many people are struggling with? “I’ve had research published this year where we found that most users of digital media are extremely lonely,” says Aditya Deshbandhu, Senior Lecturer of Communications, Digital Media Sociology, at the University of Exeter. He noted that the pandemic exacerbated loneliness among young people despite how digitally connected they were. “And games in that matter tend to address that gulf for a while,” he says.

Otome games, though, have presented an emotional connection to gamers long before that.

Shefali Bhosale, a graduate, has found respite in the world of these simulation games for more than a decade now. “These games are very accurate to how people interact on their phones – the characters text you, and call you. It feels very real, so there’s definitely a parasocial aspect to it,” she says.

She emphasises that it was very easy to get attached to the characters in the game — since the player consumed their content almost daily. “If you don’t see them for one day, you’re suddenly withdrawn, and you tend to miss that person,” she says.

Expert Speak

Shobhika Jaju, a clinical psychologist, believes that these games give young people a safe space to try out romance without rejection.

“A virtual partner is predictable and always responsive; they will do and show up the way we want them to. Real relationships, on the other hand, bring growth through challenges,” she says.

Deshbandhu points out that researchers in Japan and China are examining the negative effects of idealising romantic partners in such games, and if they contribute to the breakdown of real-life relation ships and intimacy.

Reality & Fiction

But above all, to Bhosale, these games are no more than a form of entertainment. “Dating simulators are like novels, but with the freedom to choose. For example, when I’m reading a book, I may not necessarily react to the situation in the same way the protagonist would. But in an Otome game, I will get three or more reactions to pick from, to see which opinion I relate to the most,” she says.

Indrani Ganguly, Creative Director of Duronto Games, doubles down on the viewer’s discretion to suspend disbelief. Mentioning Love and Deepspace, one of the first Otome games to adopt 3D Graphics, she says, “It is heavily stylised. It’s not like you are watching a film, where you’re like, yes, that’s a real person.”

She states that the games bank on the fact that they’re animated and illustrated, to further emphasise the separation – and lead to a “buy-in” on the audience’s part. “These games are not designed to trap you,” she says. Rather, she thinks that these games present a more engaging way to participate in the gameplay.

“Video games are just code. It's a piece of software, and it contains limitations that the software designer has placed into it. However, games like Love and Deepspace create an opportunity for the player to come up with a narrative of their own,” she says.

Kabir Kapse, a student, says that the plot of these games matters to him a lot. The fantasy realms, with otherworldly plot points, were also the very reason he never projected real-world desires onto the characters of the games.

Community Building

According to Ganguly, Otome games provide a platform to have their own experience. “Making friends in real life can be difficult, because you need to figure out their likes and dislikes. But when you enter a community of a game, or of a thing that already exists, you know they are in that space because they enjoy the same game as you do — and it opens up a sense of commonality,” she says.

Bhosale agrees that she shares her game experience with her close circle of friends. But a problem that Otome Games pose is the veil of shame shrouded around their players. “It’s not a hobby that I’m proud of, and I don’t have friends who enjoy it anymore, so I don’t talk to anybody about it,” says Kapse.

Deshbandhu connects this shame to how certain kinds of games may be looked down upon in comparison to others. In his book, Gaming Culture(s) In India, he questions which games would be considered more ‘gamer-worthy.’

“Playing Otome Games is not considered being gamer-worthy, because it doesn’t talk about skill and other hardcore stuff like that,” he says.

These preconceived notions create stereotypes about the feminine undertones Otome games present.

Beyond The Screen

Ganguly believes that Otome games reflect the interests and sensibilities of the players in this generation. Deshbandhu adds, “The ideology and the kind of relationships they want to champion are available in the games. Games allow the possibility to experience homosexual relationships, which is very resonant with Gen-Z communities.”

These games are a reflection of how we communicate and how our manner of communication is evolving. People are in a stage right now where they are more connected than ever. “We’re only drawing from how people engage with one another, and creating a fantasy world with it,” says Ganguly.

And while Otome games provide an avenue for people to escape and experiment with their fantasies, it may never prove to be a solid replacement for human connection.