Google removes Doki Doki Literature Club! from the Play Store

https://www.engadget.com/gaming/google-removes-doki-doki-literature-club-from-the-play-store-080615951.html

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/ **

224 points · 37 comments · view on lemmy.world

37 Comments

GasMaskedLunatic@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 105 pts · 123d (15 replies)

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.works · 18 pts · 122d

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.com · 2 pts · 122d

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

Retail4068@lemmy.world · -55 pts · 123d (12 replies)

X == Google. Definitely how it works.

fushuan@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 45 pts · 123d

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.

Linearity@piefed.zip · 26 pts · 123d

Yttra@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 123d (9 replies)

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.

Retail4068@lemmy.world · -33 pts · 123d (8 replies)
[ removed ]
Arcane2077@sh.itjust.works · 24 pts · 123d (5 replies)

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

Retail4068@lemmy.world · -34 pts · 123d (4 replies)

As much as Lemmy 🤷‍♂️

Arcane2077@sh.itjust.works · 23 pts · 123d (3 replies)

Knew you couldn’t. I hope you know some real people who haven’t cut you out of their lives yet

KindnessIsPunk@lemmy.ca · 4 pts · 123d

It's just someone manufacturing rage bait. Ignore them and they'll go away

Retail4068@lemmy.world · -21 pts · 123d

👌

fushuan@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 7 pts · 123d

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.xyz · 4 pts · 123d

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.

IllNess@infosec.pub · 75 pts · 123d

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.

lemmyng@lemmy.world · 51 pts · 122d

And yet X, the child porn generator app, gets a free pass.

Washedupcynic@lemmy.ca · 34 pts · 122d (3 replies)
asudox@lemmy.asudox.dev · 7 pts · 122d (1 reply)

Or itch.io

P1k1e@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 122d

And also it's just great.....Just Monika

davitz@lemmy.ca · 6 pts · 122d

And then use this to play it on your Android device: https://gamenative.app/

HuudaHarkiten@piefed.social · 23 pts · 123d

Ah, I love how google is protecting me and my fragile mind <3

WeLoveCastingSpellz@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 23 pts · 123d

So it begins

BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world · 19 pts · 123d (2 replies)

Streisand Effect incoming. I for one heard of it but thought it was a run of the mill JRPG. Think I'll check it out now.

VerilyFemme@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 4 pts · 122d

It's insanely good.

themachinestops@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 4 pts · 122d

Played it before, don't remember much, but it is good from what I remember.

BlackLaZoR@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 122d

This is why they want to remove installing apps from third parties. To control you more.

I'm running Graphene OS. Fuck Google.

MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip · 11 pts · 123d (3 replies)

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

This rule can't be legal for a gatekeeper.

paraphrand@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 122d (1 reply)

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.

MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip · 4 pts · 122d

Or not hinder 3rd-parties on their platform.

General_Effort@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 122d

Why not?

Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 9 pts · 123d (1 reply)

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.ml · 2 pts · 122d

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

tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip · 5 pts · 122d (2 replies)

Can anyone who played on android explain how you "win" when

::: spoiler spoiler there are no system files to delete? :::

benjirenji@slrpnk.net · 3 pts · 122d (1 reply)

At least on the console version it simulates a desktop.

pycorax@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 121d

That feels like it ruins the whole immersion of it but it is what it is I guess? Feels like Android they could make it work by placing files in the Downloads folder or something at least.

General_Effort@lemmy.world · -2 pts · 122d

After the recent judgments against Meta, it was predicted that there would be a crackdown on mental health topics. DDLC has been connected to a suicide in the UK.