Cult Hit Doki Doki Literature Club Fights Removal From Google Play Store Over ‘Depiction Of Sensitive Themes’
Doki Doki Literature Club, the cult visual novel that became a surprise hit following its 2017 PC release, has been removed from Google Play Store as of April 8. Google cited violations of its Terms of Service regarding the “depiction of sensitive themes” as the reason for the removal.
Publisher Serenity Forge announced the removal on April 9 and stated it is actively fighting to restore the game to Android. In their statement, the company defended DDLC’s portrayal of mental health, noting that the game is “widely celebrated for portraying mental health in a way that meaningfully connects deeply with players around the world, helping them feel heard, understood, and less alone on their journey.”
The visual novel, which originally launched on PC in 2017, had been subsequently ported to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation consoles. Its surprise release on Google Play in December marked the first time the game became available on mobile platforms. The removal raises questions about content moderation policies on mobile platforms and how games tackling sensitive subjects like mental health are evaluated against platform guidelines.