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Gamers are still predominantly perceived as men. However, in China, things are changing. Thanks to "otome”, a video game genre that focuses on love stories, more and more women are getting into gaming.
And while romance remains at the heart of the experience, these games are now venturing into more varied storylines, designed to appeal to a female audience that is still largely overlooked by the video games world. Picture the scene: you're drifting through space, embraced by Caleb, a purple-eyed, chisel-jawed hunk. The end of the world is imminent.
He gazes into your eyes and whispers in a soft voice: "Then it's a promise...
in life and in death. We will never be apart." But this isn't a romance novel.
It's a sequence from the game Love And Deepspace , the latest hit in the "otome” video game universe. Still little known in the West, this kind of video game is proving a hit in Asia, with a predominantly female audience. The formula is well established: plots full of twists and turns, an often young and solitary heroine, and a line-up of handsome boys with piercing eyes and muscular physiques.
The whole thing is interspersed with narrative choices, impassioned dialogues and sometimes even risqué scenes, reserved for a more mature audience. And this explosive cocktail has won many hearts. Although "otome” games have been around since the end of the 1990s, Love And Deepspace is in a different league to its predecessors.
Since its release in January 2024, the game has made US$400mil (RM1.77bil), 36% of which has been made outside China, according to the Japan Times . In Japan, it remained the number one downloadable narrative video game until September 2024.
And for good reason: its gaming experience stands out in the "otome” landscape. Far from being a classic romance, Love And Deepspace offers an immersive experience in which you play a space hunter facing interstellar creatures. The male characters cross your path, accompany you in battle, and potentially become more than just allies.
The game thus offers players the feeling of having a personalised virtual relationship. It's possible to take selfies with your partner, exchange messages and share various everyday activities. On social networks, some extracts from the game show, for example, the heroine shaving her handsome suitor.
All of these stages boost in-game affinity points, open up new game options and reinforce player engagement. Games aimed at female players The success of Love And Deepspace in China is based on its emotional power. According to a CNG Game survey cited by the magazine Sixth Tone , more than 50% of players say that the game provides them with emotional support, going well beyond mere entertainment.
The romantic aspect and the attractive characters appeal to 43.5% and 44.5% of respondents respectively, while companionship dynamics – where human relationships are at the centre of the story – appeal to 39.
3% of players. Love And Deepspace captures the essence of modern gaming: an immersive experience where emotion and human connections take precedence over simple distraction. On the strength of this success, video games developer Papergames launched another "otome” last December: Infinity Nikki .
This fifth installment in the Nikki series immerses players in the world of a young fashion enthusiast, accompanied by her cat Momo. Exit the intergalactic drama of Love And Deepspace , and enter an open-world adventure where each transformation is linked to your outfit, some of which have special powers. In this game, it's not about killing enemies, but "purifying” them, and the more refined your style, the better your chances of winning.
The game is already showing signs of success. One month after its release, Infinity Nikki has earned nearly US$16mil (RM70.99mil), according to PocketGamer.
biz. This figure demonstrates that "otome" games have indeed found their place in the video game sector, which is increasingly turning its attention to a female audience. In China, it is estimated that nearly half of online game players are women, which is prompting studios to develop games specifically aimed at these gamers.
But "otome” games are not without their critics. Some experts are concerned to see more and more women forming virtual relationships with the heroes of their games, in a context where the number of single people in China is constantly rising. However, for others, there is nothing alarming about it.
After all, our emotional relationships are not limited to human beings: we have bonds with our pets, and affections for fictional characters in movies or in books. If the protagonists of "otome” manage to stir real emotions, these feelings might serve to enrich our other relationships, rather than replacing them. – AFP Relaxnews.
