SweetieGames

It’s December 2014, and I’m on a coach with my best friend. I’m on a simple mission; make the grim reaper fall in love with me. We whisper as we sit around my phone, figuring out the best dialogue option to finish this task. I succeed in my goal and become queen of the underworld, but in 2025, fourteen-year-olds won’t be able to rule the land of the dead alongside him.

This game, a visual novel titled Angel or Devil+, was made by NTT Solmare, who were known at the time for the Shall We Date? games. There were overused tropes galore and the marketing heavily utilised clickbait, but you’d be surrounded by handsome men all vying for your love. I adored it. I loved seeing female protagonists carve out their place in all these different worlds. Every girl had a distinct personality; they weren’t only falling in love, but also uncovering mysteries and learning about the world around them.

Now, NTT Solmare has gone all in on gacha with Obey Me!, which failed to capture my heart in the same way. This definitely wasn’t the case for a lot of other people; Obey Me! has had success on a level that their previous games didn’t reach, and now NTT Solmare has closed the doors on the majority of its Shall We Date? titles. A select few, six out of 48 games, live on through a bundle app. Many of the remaining games are now lost media, with only screenshots and video clips to prove their brief existence.

I have tried everything to play one of the older Shall We Date? titles again. They were hosted on a server owned by NTT Solmare, so even my attempts to use an emulator proved fruitless. The Shall We Date? titles were the beginning of my special interest in otome, which is still going strong over 10 years later.

It turns out that the Shall We Date? titles were a common intro to otome for a lot of people in the early 2010s. Sammi is a content creator and comfy streamer, posting content online as Otomeaddicted. Sammi has amassed over 21k followers on Twitter and 30k followers on TikTok, and her posts have been bringing otome fans together since 2023. She has been enjoying the genre since middle school, starting with online flash games before moving on to games made by Voltage and NTT Solmare. “The Shall We Date? games were my first real introduction to the otome genre. They sparked my interest and curiosity, making me want to explore more titles and dive deeper into this kind of storytelling.

The very first Shall We Date? game I remember playing was Ninja Love. I was obsessed with it and choosing which route deserved my pocket money was such serious business back then!”

Just as Angel or Devil + was a special title to me, Sammi also had favourite Shall We Date? titles. “I have a lot of fond memories from the Ninja Love and My Sweet Prince games. I spent hours unlocking different endings and exploring all the character routes, and those early experiences really shaped my love for otome games.”

I’ve always felt that the Shall We Date? titles have been important pieces of otome history, almost like a right of passage for new fans. Back when otome games were lesser known, it was rare for me to find other otome fans online, but if I did it was through talking about the Shall We Date? titles. The games made me want to explore the genre more. For Sammi, the Shall We Date? games hold a similar importance: “I would absolutely love to be able to play the older Shall We Date? titles again. They’re not just games, they’re a piece of otome history and a big part of my own journey as a fan. Playing them again would let me revisit the stories and characters that shaped my love for the genre. Being able to replay them would also be a nostalgic way to reflect on how the genre has evolved over time.”

However, the otome genre is thriving now more than ever before. Love and Deepspace was awarded Mobile Game of the Year at Gamescom, a first for an otome title. We’re spoiled for choice with games releasing on Nintendo Switch. If the Shall We Date? games are mostly gone, how are new fans discovering the genre for themselves? “While the Shall We Date? games were a gateway for many older fans, I think new players are discovering otome games in a variety of ways today,” Sammi said. “Social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram are huge; content creators play a big role in introducing games, sharing reactions, and highlighting storylines and romance options. Streaming platforms like Twitch and video playthroughs also allow people to experience games they might not buy immediately.

Additionally, PC and Nintendo Switch localisations have made the genre more ‘accessible’, reaching players who might never have encountered them. Essentially, the combination of social media exposure, modern platform accessibility, and creator-driven content is helping a whole new generation find their love for otome games.”

While the Shall We Date? titles introduced a generation of fans to the genre, otome seems to be gaining many new fans without their help. While I’d love to play the older games again for my own nostalgia, I may have to accept that it’s the end of an era. The older games will truly live on in the hearts of the people who played them; they provided us with an exciting introduction to our favourite genre. Thank you, Shall We Date!