Doki Doki Literature Club!

File:DokiDokiLiteratureClubGameplay.png

Doki Doki Literature Club! is a visual novel. As such, its gameplay has a low level of interactivity and consists of scenes with static two-dimensional images of characters in a first person perspective, accompanied by occasional choices by which the player advances the putative plot. The descriptions and dialogue are depicted in the form of accompanying text without voice acting. The game's narration is provided by the game's protagonist (whom the player controls), a member of the titular literature club, to which he was invited by his childhood friend Sayori.{{cite web |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/Doki_Doki_Literature_Club/index.html |title=RPGFan Review—Doki Doki Literature Club |last=Fenner |first=Robert |website=RPGFan |date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=February 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006155112/http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/Doki_Doki_Literature_Club/index.html |archive-date=October 6, 2018 |url-status=live }}{{cite magazine |title=Doki Doki Literature Club! hides a gruesome horror game under its cute surface |last=Wright |first=Steven |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/doki-doki-literature-club-hides-a-gruesome-horror-game-under-its-cute-surface/ |magazine=PC Gamer |date=October 26, 2017 |access-date=October 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171027074729/http://www.pcgamer.com/doki-doki-literature-club-hides-a-gruesome-horror-game-under-its-cute-surface/ |archive-date=October 27, 2017 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.gamegrin.com/reviews/doki-doki-literature-club-review/ |title=Doki Doki Literature Club Review |first=Billy |last=Clarke |date=February 14, 2018 |work=GameGrin |access-date=March 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613203809/https://www.gamegrin.com/reviews/doki-doki-literature-club-review/ |archive-date=June 13, 2018 |url-status=live }} Choices the protagonist makes affect the development of his relationships with key female characters Sayori, Yuri, and Natsuki, but ultimately have little effect on the outcome of the game.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/features/357937-trust-need-play-doki-doki-literature-club |title=Trust Me, You Need to Play Doki Doki Literature Club |first=Paul |last=Tamburro |date=November 28, 2017 |work=GameRevolution |access-date=March 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180109055321/https://www.gamerevolution.com/features/357937-trust-need-play-doki-doki-literature-club |archive-date=January 9, 2018 |url-status=live }}

The characters' interactions with the protagonist are primarily influenced by a minigame in which the player "composes" a poem by picking from several sets of words. Each girl in the literature club has different word preferences, and their will react positively when the player picks a word that they like. For narrative reasons, Monika is not represented in this minigame. In accordance with the results of these minigames, the player will experience scenes with whichever character liked that particular poem the most. Each such story arc is divided into three acts and an epilogue, whereupon the game restarts each time with increasingly divergent realities.{{cite web |last=Fujita |first=Shōhei |date=March 4, 2018 |title=【完全ネタバレコラム】世界を大いに盛り上げる「Doki Doki Literature Club」の真の目的と少女たちからの救難信号 |trans-title=[Full spoiler column] The true purpose of the "Doki Doki Literature Club" that is making the world a great place and the distress signal from the girls |url=https://jp.ign.com/doki-doki-literature-club/22567/opinion/doki-doki-literature-club |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626030125/http://jp.ign.com/doki-doki-literature-club/22567/opinion/doki-doki-literature-club |archive-date=June 26, 2018 |access-date=March 30, 2019 |work=IGN Japan |language=ja}} At a certain point, the player must manipulate the game's files in order to advance the narrative.{{cite web |title=Doki Doki Literature Club is a hidden horror game for the internet age |last=Josuweit |first=Amy |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/31/doki-doki-literature-club-horror-game/ |work=Rock, Paper, Shotgun |date=October 31, 2017 |access-date=October 31, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181025154549/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/31/doki-doki-literature-club-horror-game/ |archive-date=October 25, 2018 |url-status=live }}

Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! features the entire main campaign of the original game, but includes a "virtual desktop" allowing access to character files without needing to manipulate computer files, as well as unlockable images, soundtrack, story-related content, and several new "side stories". The new content is unlocked by completing the main campaign, as well as the side stories. The new stories depict characterization of the relationships between the four club members, as well as the formation of the literature club, without any interaction from the player.{{CitationNeeded|date=December 2024}}

The protagonist (who is named by the player) is invited by his cheerful best friend Sayori to join their high school's literature club as a remedy for his introverted nature. He reluctantly agrees and meets the other members of the club: assertive Natsuki, shy Yuri, and confident club president Monika.{{cite web |title=Get to Know Your Fellow Lovers Of Writing With Doki Doki Literature Club! |last=Couture |first=Joel |url=https://www.siliconera.com/2017/10/13/get-know-fellow-lovers-writing-doki-doki-literature-club/ |work=Silicon Era |date=October 13, 2017 |access-date=October 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816112633/http://www.siliconera.com/2017/10/13/get-know-fellow-lovers-writing-doki-doki-literature-club/ |archive-date=August 16, 2018 |url-status=live }} At the end of each day, the members are prompted to write a poem and share it with the other members the next day. Eventually, as the club prepares for the school's upcoming cultural festival in which the members intend to share their poems with a wider audience, Sayori reveals to the protagonist that she has depression.{{cite web |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/doki-doki-literature-club/doki-doki-literature-club-visual-novel |title=Doki Doki Literature Club is a visual novel worthy of a Black Mirror episode |date=February 16, 2018 |first=Mitch Jay |last=Lineham |work=PCGamesN |access-date=March 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005202045/https://www.pcgamesn.com/doki-doki-literature-club/doki-doki-literature-club-visual-novel |archive-date=October 5, 2018 |url-status=live }} The protagonist assists either Yuri or Natsuki with their tasks, each of them attempting to kiss the protagonist before he encounters Sayori again. The protagonist can either confess his love to Sayori or reaffirm his friendship with her. Regardless, the following day, Monika passively shows the protagonist an uncharacteristically morbid poem by Sayori whose contents are merely endless instances of "get out of my head". Realizing that something has happened to Sayori, the protagonist rushes to her home to find that she has hanged herself, and the game abruptly ends.

The player is sent back to the main menu, with all previous save files erased.{{cite web |title=Doki Doki Literature Club is an uncontrollably horrific visual novel |last=Rose |first=Victoria |url=https://www.polygon.com/2017/10/22/16512204/doki-doki-literature-club-pc-explained |website=Polygon |date=October 22, 2017 |access-date=February 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023003236/https://www.polygon.com/2017/10/22/16512204/doki-doki-literature-club-pc-explained |archive-date=October 23, 2017 |url-status=live }} Upon starting a new game, the story repeats itself, but Sayori is glaringly absent and the other characters do not remember her existence, including the protagonist. Monika introduces the protagonist to the club in lieu of Sayori. Events proceed similarly to the original playthrough, but some text is rendered illegible, the character sprites undergo sporadic distortions, and what appears to be computer glitches become commonplace.{{cite web |title=Doki Doki Literature Club Scared Me Shitless |last=Jackson |first=Gita |url=https://kotaku.com/doki-doki-literature-club-scared-me-shitless-1819361548 |work=Kotaku |date=October 11, 2017 |access-date=October 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181031000226/https://kotaku.com/doki-doki-literature-club-scared-me-shitless-1819361548 |archive-date=October 31, 2018 |url-status=live }} Aside from the game's frequent distortions, it is revealed through dialogue and unlockable "special poems" that Natsuki is malnourished and being abused by her father; meanwhile, Yuri gradually becomes unstable, obsessive, and prone to self-harm. When the planning stage for the cultural festival is reached, a heated argument breaks out over whom the protagonist will help. After the player is forced to choose Monika, Yuri ejects Monika and Natsuki from the room before confessing her love for the protagonist. Whether or not the protagonist accepts Yuri's confession, she fatally stabs herself in the abdomen; the game's broken script forces the motionless protagonist to watch Yuri's corpse slowly decompose over the weekend. When Natsuki returns upon the script resetting, she is horrified and nauseated at the sight of Yuri's body and flees. Monika appears and apologizes to the protagonist for his "boring" weekend before compensating by deleting Yuri's and Natsuki's character files from the game and sending the player back to the main menu.

Upon the automatic start of a new file, the protagonist is placed in what remains of the literature club classroom, seated across from Monika. She reveals that she is a self-aware video game character who is able to manipulate the game's code. Distraught that she is not a romantic option but merely a supporting bystander in the game's narrative; she admits to using her ability to amplify the other girls' negative traits in an attempt to make them unlikable and stop them from confessing their love for the protagonist, which failed despite Monika's efforts. She then obsessively confesses her own love{{emdash}}not to the protagonist, but to the player, because they are real and autonomous rather than programmed. Monika will sit and talk to the player indefinitely about various topics until the player manually enters the game's directory and deletes her character file. She initially lashes out at the player as she disappears, but ultimately forgives them and remorsefully repents by restoring the game and characters excluding herself.

Depending on the course of action taken by the player, the game can come to two possible conclusions during the epilogue. The traditional ending shows Sayori introducing herself as the president of the club and expressing her gratitude to the player for dispelling Monika. However, she immediately adopts Monika's self-awareness, with Monika intervening via text prompt and removing Sayori from the game to save the player. Upon realizing that her efforts to make amends have been fruitless, Monika deletes the entire game as the end credits roll; while playing a song called "Your Reality" that she wrote for the player. The game concludes with a note from Monika stating that she has disbanded the club because "no happiness can be found in it", but she thanks the player for joining the club regardless.

A more positive ending occurs if the player has viewed all of the optional cutscenes and confessed to Sayori prior to witnessing her suicide (which requires saving and loading several times before that point).{{cite web |url=https://screenrant.com/doki-doki-literature-club-plus-good-bad-endings/ |title=Doki Doki Literature Club Plus Endings Explained |first=Eva |last=Herinkova |date=September 6, 2021 |website=Screen Rant |access-date=June 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120022337/https://screenrant.com/doki-doki-literature-club-plus-good-bad-endings/ |archive-date=November 20, 2021 |url-status=live }} Though still self-aware, Sayori instead expresses her gratitude to the player for emotionally supporting all the members; tearfully bids farewell, and assures the player that all the members love them. Monika then plays "Your Reality" during the credits without deleting the game. After the game locks, the player is presented with a message from the game's developer Dan Salvato, describing his intentions behind creating the game and his opinions on video games as a whole. He then thanks the player for playing the game and joining the club as the game closes.{{cite web |url=https://allgamers.com/article/3654/doki-doki-literature-club-how-to-get-the-best-ending-fulfilling-ending |title=Doki Doki Literature Club: How to Get the Best Ending, Fulfilling Ending |first=Larryn |last=Bell |date=January 3, 2018 |work=AllGamers |access-date=March 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002064946/https://allgamers.com/article/3654/doki-doki-literature-club-how-to-get-the-best-ending-fulfilling-ending |archive-date=October 2, 2018 |url-status=live }}

A premature ending occurs if the player preemptively deletes Monika's file from the directory prior to starting a new game, which will cause Sayori to become the default leader of the club. Upon realizing the true nature of the game and her role in it, Sayori panics and inadvertently closes the game. Opening the game again will display an image of Sayori having hanged herself; if the image is left on-screen for 10 minutes, the words "now everyone can be happy" will appear next to it.

In addition to the entire main story, Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! features six new side stories, entitled Trust, Understanding, Respect, Balance, Reflection, and Self-Love, as well as an additional shorter seventh story, Equals. The stories depict the meeting and relationships between the four club members, as well as the formation of the club up until the beginning of the main campaign, with each of the first six stories focusing on a conflict and resolution between two of the characters and the seventh focusing on the friendship between all four of them. Unlike the main campaign, the side stories do not feature any horror elements or discussion of sentience among any of the characters.

As a fictionalized account of how the game was developed, other story-related content is accessible from within the virtual desktop in the form of an email inbox for a company referred to as "Metaverse Enterprise Solutions", as well as within the virtual desktop file folder. Collecting this content tells of a group of researchers from the company who were attempting to utilize a virtual machine referred to as "VM1" to create a simulated universe. The resulting universe contained four entities, one of whom, "A", is granted elevated permissions to access the kernel code, referred to as "Monitor Kernel Access". The universe and entities are studied during events paralleling those of the game's main campaign, and the emails and files discuss the researcher's observations and monitoring of the events, with the stated goal being to observe how "A" would react to the discovery of their artificial existence, in order to analyze the possibility of the true universe being a simulation. Later discussion is given on the creation of a second "control" universe within VM1, in which "A" is not made aware of their elevated permissions, paralleling the events and settings of the side stories. It is later mentioned that a small group of researchers, who initially refer to themselves as "Team Salvation", plan to transform the contents of VM1 into a visual novel format in order to ensure the security of the project, implying that the events of Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! depict the contents of both universes within VM1.

The last unlockable email describes a second virtual machine, "VM2", which the researchers successfully built but could not reliably access due to its instability. While they are unable to create a reliable connection to VM2, the researchers observe that the entities within VM2 appeared to be working on an undescribed project, referred to as "Project Libitina", which is implied to be an attempt by the entities at accessing the world beyond their simulated universe. If the player completes full "data collection", which requires completing all game content and unlocking all secrets, they are granted access to an eighth side story entitled test.vm, which consists only of a screen describing a failed server attempt at accessing VM2, alongside one of several hundred different randomly-selected sentences, which appear to describe the world and activities within VM2's universe.

Doki Doki Literature Club! was developed by American programmer Dan Salvato over the course of approximately two years, and is his debut title in the video game industry.{{cite web|url=https://kotaku.com/doki-doki-literature-clubs-horror-was-born-from-a-love-1819724999 |title=Doki Doki Literature Club's Horror Was Born From A Love-Hate Relationship With Anime |last=Jackson|first=Gita|date=October 20, 2017 |work=Kotaku |access-date=October 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171021235436/https://kotaku.com/doki-doki-literature-clubs-horror-was-born-from-a-love-1819724999 |archive-date=October 21, 2017 |url-status=live }} Prior to its release, Salvato was known for creating the FrankerFaceZ extension for Twitch, his modding work in the Super Smash Bros. scene,{{cite web |title=Powerful mod adds replay feature to Super Smash Bros. Melee |last=Good |first=Owen |url=https://www.polygon.com/2015/9/13/9318615/super-smash-bros-melee-replay-mod-20xx |website=Polygon |date=September 13, 2015 |access-date=October 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626111443/https://www.polygon.com/2015/9/13/9318615/super-smash-bros-melee-replay-mod-20xx |archive-date=June 26, 2018 |url-status=live }} and for his custom Super Mario Maker levels.{{cite web |title=P is for Pain is the new contender for Mario Maker's hardest level |last=Blain |first=Louise |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/p-pain-new-contender-mario-makers-hardest-level/ |work=GamesRadar |date=October 9, 2015 |access-date=October 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626135254/https://www.gamesradar.com/p-pain-new-contender-mario-makers-hardest-level/ |archive-date=June 26, 2018 |url-status=live }}{{cite web|last=Lada|first=Jenni|date=September 21, 2017|title=Eversion-Inspired Super Mario Maker Level Uses Doors In An Ingenious Way|url=https://www.siliconera.com/2015/09/21/eversion-inspired-super-mario-maker-level-uses-doors-in-an-ingenious-way/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626110847/https://www.siliconera.com/2015/09/21/eversion-inspired-super-mario-maker-level-uses-doors-in-an-ingenious-way/|archive-date=June 26, 2018|access-date=October 18, 2017|work=Silliconera}} Salvato was inspired to create a visual novel by his "love-hate relationship" with anime, and emphasized the abundant use of clichés in the genre and the frequent plots centering around "cute girls doing cute things", which he saw as both an asset and a detriment to the viewer's enjoyment. Salvato sought to create a title that would attract the player's attention regardless of how they personally view anime.

Discussing the horror elements of the game, Salvato explained that he was inspired by "things that are scary because they make you uncomfortable, not because they shove scary-looking things in your face." To achieve this, Salvato developed the façade of a cute setting, which would break down over time along with the behavior of the characters, and eventually the role of one evil character who had seized control of the game from the player would be revealed. In creating the game's horror elements, Salvato drew inspiration from Yume Nikki and Eversion, and emphasized to his team that he wanted the market for visual novels to become much more daring and less reliant on the same plot concepts.Salvato, Dan (2017) Doki Doki Literature Club! Concept Art Booklet, p. 3 The game's characters were based on standard anime archetypes and were given Japanese names to emphasize a pseudo-Japanese atmosphere characteristic of Western-produced visual novels. The sole exception to this format is Monika, who received an English name as a hint to her individual nature compared to the other characters.Salvato, Dan (2017) Doki Doki Literature Club! Concept Art Booklet, p. 4

File:DDLC Character Sketches.png

Because Salvato lacked artistic skill, he used a free online anime-creation program to create the initial character designs and applied these designs in test versions of the game.Salvato, Dan (2017) Doki Doki Literature Club! Concept Art Booklet, p. 5 Salvato recognized that a product of such quality would not satisfy potential players, so he made a request to his friend, a translator for Sekai Project, for sketches of school uniforms and hairstyles for the characters.Salvato, Dan (2017) Doki Doki Literature Club! Concept Art Booklet, p. 11 Salvato then handed initial visual development over to Kagefumi, who left the project very early on. After Kagefumi's departure from the project, Salvato contacted the freelance artist Satchely, who created the final character sprites over the course of a few months.Salvato, Dan (2017) Doki Doki Literature Club! Concept Art Booklet, p. 13{{cite tweet |author=Satchely |user=_Satchely |number=1135187349372047360 |date=June 2, 2019 |title=Suddenly the artist credit is being switched around in the article, I don't think it was like that yesterday. Kagefumi didn't draw the final sprites and backgrounds. Her art isn't in the game because she left the project very early on.}}{{cite web |url=http://teamsalvato.com/team/ |title=Team Salvato – Our Team |date=October 24, 2018 |publisher=Team Salvato |access-date=January 30, 2021 |archive-date=January 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115220550/http://teamsalvato.com/team/ |url-status=live }} The sprites were created in several parts to give the poses more variety.Salvato, Dan (2017) Doki Doki Literature Club! Concept Art Booklet, p. 18 The background images were originally created as three-dimensional models, and then processed by the artist VelinquenT.Salvato, Dan (2017) Doki Doki Literature Club! Concept Art Booklet, p. 20

Salvato also composed the game's score.{{cite video game |title=Doki Doki Literature Club! |developer=Team Salvato |date=September 22, 2017 |platform=Windows |level=End credits}} The introductory composition, "Doki Doki Literature Club!", is primarily performed by piano and flute with accompaniment by string instruments. The composition "Okay, Everyone!" has five different versions, four of which are performed by different musical instruments that represent each of the four female characters. Monika's version emphasizes the piano, Yuri's version uses pizzicato and harps, Natsuki's version is played by xylophone and recorder, and Sayori's is played by ukulele. The game's score is generally calm and serene with the exception of two tracks, "Sayo-nara" and "Just Monika", which are ominous in tone.{{cite web |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ddlc-ost/index.html |title=Doki Doki Literature Club! OST |first=Marcos |last=Gaspar |date=September 22, 2017 |website=RPGFan Music |access-date=March 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008214337/http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ddlc-ost/index.html |archive-date=October 8, 2018 |url-status=live }} "Your Reality", a vocal song performed over the end credits, is sung by Jillian Ashcraft.

File:DDLC logo.svg

Doki Doki Literature Club! was first released on September 22, 2017, on itch.io, and was later also released on Steam.{{cite web |title=Doki Doki Literature Club! on Steam |url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/698780 |website=Steam |publisher=Valve |access-date=October 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907031029/https://store.steampowered.com/app/698780 |archive-date=September 7, 2018 |url-status=live }} The game is available as freeware with an optional pay what you want model. Paying a certain amount unlocks a bonus "Fan Pack" that includes desktop and mobile wallpapers, the game's official soundtrack, and a digital concept art booklet.{{cite web |title=Doki Doki Literature Club Fan Pack on Steam |url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/717250 |website=Steam |publisher=Valve |access-date=October 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331042807/https://store.steampowered.com/app/717250 |archive-date=March 31, 2019 |url-status=live }} The game's soundtrack was released on two compact discs consisting of 15 and 10 tracks respectively. The first CD contains all the main compositions of the game, while the second consists of remixes and alternative arrangements. On September 28, 2017, Dan Salvato posted an additional Doki Doki Literature Club! music soundtrack piece called "doki17.mp3" to the unofficial Doki Doki Literature Club! Discord server, referring to it as "an unfinished track that never made it into the game" which "[while] pretty far from finished [was] still somewhat pleasant".{{Cite web |last=Salvato |first=Dan |date=November 28, 2017 |title=doki17.mp3 |url=https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/362475174118948865/363095884675678238/doki17.mp3 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102042343/https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/362475174118948865/363095884675678238/doki17.mp3 |archive-date=November 2, 2020 |website=Discord}} The soundtrack saw another release by iam8bit on "crimson smoke" vinyl in the first quarter of 2019.{{cite web |url=https://www.hardcoregamer.com/2018/09/19/doki-doki-literature-club-soundtrack-coming-to-vinyl/312990/ |title=Doki Doki Literature Club Soundtrack Coming to Vinyl |first=Marcus |last=Estrada |date=September 19, 2018 |work=Hardcore Gamer |access-date=March 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008214045/https://www.hardcoregamer.com/2018/09/19/doki-doki-literature-club-soundtrack-coming-to-vinyl/312990/ |archive-date=October 8, 2018 |url-status=live }}File:DDLC Plus logo.svgIn January 2020, Salvato announced that new content would be added to Doki Doki Literature Club!, but clarified that he was not making a sequel to the game.{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Chris |date=January 6, 2020 |title=Doki Doki Literature Club Looks Like It Will Be Receiving Some Content This Year |url=https://happygamer.com/doki-doki-literature-club-looks-like-it-will-be-receiving-some-content-this-year-50557/ |access-date=November 30, 2020 |website=HappyGamer |archive-date=September 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918070217/https://happygamer.com/doki-doki-literature-club-looks-like-it-will-be-receiving-some-content-this-year-50557/ |url-status=live }} On June 11, 2021, Team Salvato and publisher Serenity Forge announced that a premium edition of Doki Doki Literature Club!, titled Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!, would be digitally released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on June 30. A physical version for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 would also be sold via Serenity Forge's online store. On April 4, 2021, it was announced that PQube would distribute the physical edition of the game in Europe.{{Cite web |title="Enter A Terrifying World Of Poetry And Romance In Doki Doki Literature Club Plus, Now Available As A Physical Release On PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5!" - Games Press |url=https://www.gamespress.com/Enter-A-Terrifying-World-Of-Poetry-And-Romance-In-Doki-Doki-Lite-PQube |access-date=June 16, 2022 |website=www.gamespress.com |archive-date=April 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404045458/https://www.gamespress.com/Enter-A-Terrifying-World-Of-Poetry-And-Romance-In-Doki-Doki-Lite-PQube |url-status=live }} On the day of the release of Plus, it was announced that the game would be localized and released in Japan by Playism later that year.{{Cite web |date=October 6, 2021 |title=Doki Doki Literature Club Japanese Localization Struggled With Just Monika |url=https://www.siliconera.com/doki-doki-literature-club-japanese-localization-struggled-on-just-monika/ |access-date=October 19, 2022 |website=Siliconera |archive-date=October 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221019153150/https://www.siliconera.com/doki-doki-literature-club-japanese-localization-struggled-on-just-monika/ |url-status=live }} Plus was released for macOS on August 12, 2021.{{Cite web |date=August 12, 2021 |title=Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! - Doki Doki Literature Club Plus Now Available on Mac! - Steam News |url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1388880/view/2999946879608358432 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813024934/https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1388880/view/2999946879608358432 |archive-date=August 13, 2021 |access-date=August 31, 2021 |website=store.steampowered.com}}

The expanded version features a visual upgrade to full high definition, six new side stories, 100 unlockable images, 13 new music tracks by Nikki Kaelar, Jason Hayes and Azuria Sky, and a music player with the option of creating customized playlists or repeating a single track in an indefinite loop. The side stories take place outside the original game's continuity and depict how the club members met and became friends.{{cite web |url=http://teamsalvato.com/blog/announcing-doki-doki-literature-club-plus/ |title=Announcing Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! |last=Salvato |first=Dan |website=Team Salvato |publisher=Dan Salvato |date=June 11, 2021 |access-date=June 11, 2021 |archive-date=June 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611203727/http://teamsalvato.com/blog/announcing-doki-doki-literature-club-plus/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/06/doki-doki-literature-club-plus-announced-for-ps5-xbox-series-ps4-xbox-one-switch-and-pc |title=Doko Doki Literature Club Plus! announced for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC |last=Romano |first=Sal |website=Gematsu |date=June 11, 2021 |access-date=June 11, 2021 |archive-date=June 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611203142/https://www.gematsu.com/2021/06/doki-doki-literature-club-plus-announced-for-ps5-xbox-series-ps4-xbox-one-switch-and-pc |url-status=live }} The game was ported from the original Ren'Py engine to Unity, which allowed the implementation of additional features, and consistent cross-platform development.{{cite web |url=http://teamsalvato.com/blog/about-ddlc-plus-datamining-and-modding/ |title=About DDLC Plus Datamining and Modding |date=June 28, 2021 |access-date=June 30, 2021 |last=Salvato |first=Dan |work=Team Salvato |archive-date=June 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628224520/http://teamsalvato.com/blog/about-ddlc-plus-datamining-and-modding/ |url-status=live }} Physical copies of Plus! were announced to be released on July 30, 2021, but was pushed back to the end of September, and later October, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |date=August 2, 2021 |title=COVID Delays Doki Doki Literature Club Physical Release |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/08/covid_delays_doki_doki_literature_club_physical_release |access-date=August 31, 2021 |website=Nintendo Life |archive-date=August 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210823233507/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/08/covid_delays_doki_doki_literature_club_physical_release |url-status=live }}

{{Video game reviews

| MC = PC: 78/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/doki-doki-literature-club/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Doki Doki Literature Club! for PC Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=Red Ventures |access-date=February 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215210711/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/doki-doki-literature-club! |archive-date=February 15, 2018 |url-status=live}}
NS: 85/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/doki-doki-literature-club-plus/critic-reviews/?platform=nintendo-switch |title=Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! for Switch Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=Red Ventures |access-date=July 21, 2021 |archive-date=August 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210807062545/https://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/doki-doki-literature-club-plus! |url-status=live }}
PC (Plus!): 82/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/doki-doki-literature-club-plus/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! for PC Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=Red Ventures |access-date=July 21, 2021 |archive-date=August 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801110541/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/doki-doki-literature-club-plus! |url-status=live }}
PS5: 80/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/doki-doki-literature-club-plus/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-5 |title=Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! for PlayStation 5 Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=Red Ventures |access-date=July 21, 2021 |archive-date=August 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210807062136/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-5/doki-doki-literature-club-plus! |url-status=live }}
XSX: 89/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/doki-doki-literature-club-plus/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-series-x |title=Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! for Xbox Series X Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=Red Ventures |access-date=August 5, 2021 |archive-date=August 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804110222/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-series-x/doki-doki-literature-club-plus! |url-status=live }}

| JXV = 18/20{{cite web |url=http://www.jeuxvideo.com/test/743727/doki-doki-literature-club-ne-jamais-se-fier-aux-apparences.htm |title=Test : Doki Doki Literature Club : ne jamais se fier aux apparences |author=VisualNovelist |date=November 19, 2017 |website=Jeuxvideo.com |language=fr |access-date=April 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227145210/http://www.jeuxvideo.com/test/743727/doki-doki-literature-club-ne-jamais-se-fier-aux-apparences.htm |archive-date=February 27, 2018 |url-status=live }}

| RPGFan = 90%

| rev1 = GameGrin

| rev1Score = 8.5/10

| rev2 = Quarter to Three

| rev2Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.quartertothree.com/fp/2018/01/18/first-rule-doki-doki-literature-club-not-talk-doki-doki-literature-club/ |title=The first rule of Doki Doki Literature Club is not to talk about Doki Doki Literature Club |first=Tom |last=Chick |date=January 18, 2018 |website=Quarter to Three |access-date=April 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006154918/https://www.quartertothree.com/fp/2018/01/18/first-rule-doki-doki-literature-club-not-talk-doki-doki-literature-club/ |archive-date=October 6, 2018 |url-status=live }}

| award1Pub = IGN

| award1 = Best PC Game of 2017 (People's Choice){{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/wikis/best-of-2017-awards/Best_PC_Game |title=Best of 2017 Awards: Best PC Game |website=IGN |date=December 20, 2017 |access-date=January 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141823/http://www.ign.com/wikis/best-of-2017-awards/Best_PC_Game |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |url-status=live }}

| award2Pub = SXSW Gaming Awards

| award2 = Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2018/03/18/sxsw-gaming-awards-2018-winners-revealed |title=2018 SXSW Gaming Awards Winners Revealed |author=IGN Studios |date=March 17, 2018 |website=IGN |access-date=March 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318113052/http://www.ign.com/articles/2018/03/18/sxsw-gaming-awards-2018-winners-revealed |archive-date=March 18, 2018 |url-status=live }}

}}

The game was received positively by critics, and accumulated a score of 78/100 on Metacritic based on 7 reviews.

Steven T. Wright of PC Gamer described the game as "a post-modern love letter to the genre it represents", and compared its deconstructive quality to Undertale and Pony Island. Robert Fenner of RPGFan noted that traditionally, major visual novel developers such as Key and 5pb. produced lengthy day-by-day narratives of a standard anime protagonist's relationships with their supporting cast. According to Fenner, previous attempts to revise the format, such as Hatoful Boyfriend and Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, could not escape the conventions of their genre and fully reveal their dramatic potential. He then declared that Doki Doki Literature Club! had succeeded in this field by making unusual use of the Ren'Py engine and providing unexpected plot twists.

Reviewers emphasized that the game achieves its surprising impact on the player due to its outward resemblance to typical eroge games: it has a pronounced anime style in its character design, and the game's goal is to develop a relationship with one of the characters. In addition, the characters consist of anime stereotypes whose behavior is sparsely displayed through their sprites, and the game's musical accompaniment is light, bouncy, gentle and playful. According to critics, these aspects combined to create the impression of a standard visual novel that would prompt the player to become attached to the characters. VisualNovelist of Jeuxvideo.com positively compared the game's visual quality to Everlasting Summer, another independent visual novel with the appearance of a professional production. Reviewers pointed out that the game's horror was built on the destruction of a sense of control over what happens in the game and the feeling of helplessness that stems from the distortions in the game's world. Victoria Rose of Polygon stated that this approach was strikingly different from traditional horror games and films, where the viewer remains alienated from what is happening on the screen. Amy Josuweit of Rock, Paper, Shotgun noted that while earlier visual novels have broken the fourth wall by crashing the client or adding extra files, Doki Doki Literature Club! changed the angle by deliberately destroying files rather than adding them.

GQ{{'}}s Tom Philip commented that at times the narrative felt like "a slog, clicking through endless amounts of inane, flirty conversation about poetry."{{cite magazine |title=Doki Doki Literature Club Is the Most Messed Up Horror Game You'll Play This Year |last=Philip |first=Tom |url=https://www.gq.com/story/doki-doki-literature-club-is-the-most-messed-up-horror-game-youll-play-this-year |magazine=GQ |date=October 19, 2017 |access-date=October 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140233/https://www.gq.com/story/doki-doki-literature-club-is-the-most-messed-up-horror-game-youll-play-this-year |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |url-status=live }} Fenner opined that the game did not pass the Bechdel test and positioned the protagonist as a seductive casanova. However, he emphasized that the plot is ultimately a "sharply aware polemic against harem anime/visual novels" in which "the lengths the ladies go to are not wholly because of the protagonist, but rather he can be read as a symptom—an easy outlet." Fenner also felt that the game, like Katawa Shoujo before it, "appears to veer dangerously close to fetishization of very real issues". Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw of The Escapist described the game as "a nice little idea with a memorable moment or two", but added that the game "doesn't really have anywhere to go once the rabbit's out of the hat".{{cite web |last=Croshaw |first=Ben "Yahtzee" |author-link=Yahtzee Croshaw |date=2018-01-31 |title=Doki Doki Literature Club (Zero Punctuation) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krq6-1ht_kk |access-date=2022-08-31 |website=YouTube |publisher=The Escapist |archive-date=2022-08-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220831050758/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krq6-1ht_kk |url-status=live}} Event occurs at [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krq6-1ht_kk&t=309s 5:09] Nevertheless, reviewers recognized the game's plot focus as successful and relevant. 8 Bit Rambles stated that Doki Doki Literature Club! "revolves around love in its most demented and deconstructive form", and characterized the game as an example of postmodern art.{{Cite web|last=Amanda Li|title=Doki Doki Literature Club|url=https://8bitrambles.wordpress.com/tag/doki-doki-literature-club/|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=8-Bit Rambles|date=January 18, 2018|archive-date=January 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113210632/https://8bitrambles.wordpress.com/tag/doki-doki-literature-club/|url-status=live}}

The game has frequently been cited as a satire of the visual novel genre it depicts. Steven T. Wright for Rock Paper Shotgun noted that even as the pastel-tinged game universe splits apart at its very seams the game still "never turns its many knives on you, the player," instead choosing to self-destruct, "cracking open to reveal nothing but artifice".{{Cite web|last=Wright|first=Steven T.|date=February 23, 2018|title=How Doki Doki Literature Club{{’}}s subversive satire explores the power of visual novels|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/02/23/doki-doki-literature-club-visual-novels/|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=Rock, Paper, Shotgun|archive-date=October 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181018133146/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/02/23/doki-doki-literature-club-visual-novels/|url-status=live}} The game has also been viewed by many as a critique of dating simulators and of the people who play them, emphasized by a quote from the creator Dan Salvato, in which he mentions that he wanted to subvert the traditional visual novel stereotype of "cute girls doing cute things".

At IGN{{'s}} Best of 2017 Awards, the game won the People's Choice Award each for "Best PC Game", "Best Adventure Game" (for which it was also a runner-up),{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/wikis/best-of-2017-awards/Best_Adventure_Game |title=Best of 2017 Awards: Best Adventure Game |website=IGN |date=December 20, 2017 |access-date=January 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171223120204/http://www.ign.com/wikis/best-of-2017-awards/Best_Adventure_Game |archive-date=December 23, 2017 |url-status=live }} "Best Story",{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/wikis/best-of-2017-awards/Best_Story |title=Best of 2017 Awards: Best Story |website=IGN |date=December 20, 2017 |access-date=January 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101215706/http://www.ign.com/wikis/best-of-2017-awards/Best_Story |archive-date=January 1, 2018 |url-status=live }} and "Most Innovative".{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/wikis/best-of-2017-awards/Most_Innovative |title=Best of 2017 Awards: Most Innovative |website=IGN |date=December 20, 2017 |access-date=January 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102075437/http://www.ign.com/wikis/best-of-2017-awards/Most_Innovative |archive-date=January 2, 2018 |url-status=live }} IGN also featured Doki Doki Literature Club! on their list of the "18 Best Horror Games of 2017" and subsequently as the 12th scariest game of this generation.{{cite web|title=18 Best Horror Games of 2017 – IGN|date=December 18, 2017|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/12/18/18-best-horror-games-of-2017|access-date=December 28, 2020|archive-date=December 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171223170145/http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/12/18/18-best-horror-games-of-2017|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=The 25 Scariest Games of This Generation – IGN|date=October 30, 2019|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/10/30/the-25-scariest-games-of-this-generation|publication-date=October 30, 2019|access-date=December 28, 2020|archive-date=October 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191030184306/https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/10/30/the-25-scariest-games-of-this-generation|url-status=live}} Nerd Much? included the game on their 2020 list of the "50 Scariest Horror Games of All Time".{{Cite web|last=Pugatschew|first=Rhys|date=May 28, 2020|title=50 Scariest Horror Games of All Time (2020)|url=https://www.nerdmuch.com/scariest-horror-games/|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=Nerd Much?|archive-date=March 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321162919/https://www.nerdmuch.com/scariest-horror-games/|url-status=live}} The game won the "Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award" and was nominated for "Trending Game of the Year" at the 2018 SXSW Gaming Awards.{{cite web |url=https://gaming.sxsw.com/news/2018/2018-sxsw-gaming-awards-finalists/ |title=Here Are Your 2018 SXSW Gaming Awards Finalists! |last=McNeill |first=Andrew |date=January 31, 2018 |website=SXSW |access-date=February 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180202222809/https://gaming.sxsw.com/news/2018/2018-sxsw-gaming-awards-finalists/ |archive-date=February 2, 2018 |url-status=live }} EGMNow ranked the game 16th in their list of the 25 Best Games of 2017.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.egmnow.com/articles/features/egms-best-of-2017-part-two-20-16/ |title=EGM's Best of 2017: Part Two: #20 ~ #16 |author=EGM staff |date=December 28, 2017 |magazine=EGMNow |access-date=January 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140703/http://www.egmnow.com/articles/features/egms-best-of-2017-part-two-20-16/ |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |url-status=dead }}

File:Monika cosplay at Crunchyroll Expo Australia 2022.jpg 2022 in Melbourne, Australia]]

In its first three months of release, Doki Doki Literature Club! was downloaded over one million times,{{cite web|last=Barnett|first=Brian|date=December 11, 2017|title=Doki Doki Literature Club Hits 1 Million Downloads|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/12/11/doki-doki-literature-club-hits-1-million-downloads|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216233849/http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/12/11/doki-doki-literature-club-hits-1-million-downloads|archive-date=December 16, 2017|access-date=December 16, 2017|website=IGN}} and exceeded two million downloads about a month later.{{cite web|last=Jones|first=Ali|date=January 15, 2018|title=Doki Doki Literature Club! surpasses two million downloads|url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/doki-doki-literature-club/doki-doki-literature-club-player-numbers|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828154317/https://www.pcgamesn.com/doki-doki-literature-club/doki-doki-literature-club-player-numbers|archive-date=August 28, 2018|access-date=January 15, 2018|work=PCGamesN}} It has been Let's Played by several prominent YouTubers such as PewDiePie, Markiplier, Jacksepticeye, Etika, and Arin Hanson and Dan Avidan of the Game Grumps.{{cite book |last=Travers |first=Sean |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O_aVEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Etika%22+%2B+%22Let%27s+Play%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA193 |title=Trauma in American Popular Culture and Cult Texts, 1980–2020 |date=October 13, 2022 |publisher=Springer International Publishing |isbn=9783031132872 |page=193 |access-date=April 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230906074140/https://books.google.com/books?id=O_aVEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Etika%22+++%22Let%27s+Play%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA193 |archive-date=September 6, 2023 |url-status=live}} The game has inspired numerous fanmade mods including Monika After Story, which are also made with the Ren'Py engine.{{Cite web |last=Mitra |first=Ritwik |date=October 4, 2021 |title=Doki Doki Literature Club: 15 Best Mods That You Need To Download |url=https://gamerant.com/doki-doki-literature-club-best-mods/ |access-date=September 25, 2022 |website=Game Rant |archive-date=September 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925124049/https://gamerant.com/doki-doki-literature-club-best-mods/ |url-status=live }} Dan Salvato has reacted positively to the fanmade mods, stating "thanks to the Ren'Py engine, DDLC is excellent and highly accessible for modding, something we hope continues for years to come."{{Cite web |last=dansalvato |date=June 28, 2021 |title=About DDLC Plus Datamining and Modding |url=https://teamsalvato.com/blog/about-ddlc-plus-datamining-and-modding |access-date=September 25, 2022 |website=Team Salvato |archive-date=September 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925124051/https://teamsalvato.com/blog/about-ddlc-plus-datamining-and-modding/ |url-status=live }}

Monika was well-received by fans of the game,{{Cite web|date=September 12, 2019|title=15 Doki Doki Literature Club Mods That Totally Change The Game|url=https://www.thegamer.com/ddlc-doki-doki-literature-club-mods-change-game/|access-date=November 30, 2020|website=TheGamer|archive-date=March 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200319031136/https://www.thegamer.com/ddlc-doki-doki-literature-club-mods-change-game/|url-status=live}} becoming one of the game's most popular characters, with several memes (such as "Just Monika") being made about her.{{Cite web|last=Valens|first=Ana|date=February 20, 2018|title=Here's the Best 'Just Monika' Memes Taking Over the Internet|url=https://www.gamepur.com/news/doki-doki-literature-club-just-monika-2|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412163954/https://www.gamepur.com/news/doki-doki-literature-club-just-monika-2|archive-date=April 12, 2020|access-date=February 20, 2018|website=Gamepur}} Salvato was surprised by Monika's positive reception and massive popularity, stating that he did not expect her to get so popular.{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Otter |date=January 3, 2018 |title=We Interview Doki Doki Literature Club{{'}}s Twisted Creator Dan Salvato |url=https://www.asiancrush.com/interviewed-doki-doki-literature-clubs-twisted-creator-dan-salvato |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190222154314/https://www.asiancrush.com/interviewed-doki-doki-literature-clubs-twisted-creator-dan-salvato/ |archive-date=February 22, 2019 |website=AsianCrush}} Regarding one of the memes surrounding the game, Salvato criticized "Trapsuki", a theory that Natsuki is actually a "trap" due to her broad shoulders and small chest, calling the meme "really disrespectful" and stating he "doesn't like to joke about people's sex/gender, much less try to convince others that it's not what they think."{{Cite web |url=https://www.dailydot.com/parsec/doki-doki-literature-club-natsuki-trap/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180117231958/https://www.dailydot.com/parsec/doki-doki-literature-club-natsuki-trap/ |title=Doki Doki Literature Club creator shuts down transphobic 'Natsuki is a trap' meme |last=Valens |first=Ana |website=The Daily Dot |publisher=Billboard Music |date=January 17, 2018 |archive-date=January 17, 2018 |access-date=November 30, 2020 }}

Since July 2021, officially licensed Doki Doki Literature Club Nendoroid figurines have been released from the Good Smile Company.{{cite web |last=Lada |first=Jenni |date=February 9, 2022 |title=Folks Can Pre-order the DDLC Monika Nendoroid on Valentine's Day |url=https://www.siliconera.com/ddlc-monika-nendoroid-pre-order-begin-on-valentines-day |access-date=February 9, 2022 |work=Silicon Era}}{{cite web |last=Lada |first=Jenni |date=July 1, 2023 |title=See the Sayori and Yuri Doki Doki Literature Club! Nendoroids |url=https://www.siliconera.com/see-the-sayori-and-yuri-doki-doki-literature-club-nendoroids |access-date=July 1, 2023 |work=Silicon Era}}

On October 9, 2023, Youtooz Collectibles began releasing officially licensed figurines of the main characters of Doki Doki Literature Club! (Monika, Yuri, Natsuki, and Sayori),{{Cite tweet |number=1578808944407244800 |user=youtooz |title=join the club 🐮 the #ddlctooz collection releases oct 14th |author=Youtooz Collectibles}} designed by fans following the results of a competition in June;{{Cite tweet |number=1542585136100917249 |user=youtooz |title=welcome to the club 🐮 congrats to the #ddlctooz design competition winners! stay tuned as these designs come to life as official youtooz later this year 😎 |author=Youtooz Collectibles}} the following day, the figurine designer for Yuri revealed her design to have been primarily based on Yuri's appearance in The Guy Trapped in Monika's DDLC,{{Cite tweet |number=1579119906674442240 |user=ItsGrilledPasta |title=@HollyRogerbay: I love how Yuri has like 3 references in her design, if you count the "jam" as one: the raccoon is such a nice touch I'm surprised I even remember what that's referencing. @~GrilledPasta~: The jam actually is a reference to something as well! It's a reference to Vannamelon's A Guy Trapped in Monika's DDLC animation parody. When designing it, I though the jam went well with the reference of the raccoon poem! |author=~GrilledPasta~}} a 2022 proof-of-concept theme song for a Doki Doki Literature Club! animated series pitched to Salvato (modelled after Michael Kramer's and Allie Feder's theme music for The Ghost and Molly McGee), directed and animated by Nick Dante, edited by Vannamelon, and starring CoryxKenshin.{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApX1WNU5hok |title=Doki Doki Literature Club! But It's A Disney Channel Cartoon (Animated Theme Parody) |date=June 1, 2022 |last1=Dante |first1=Nick |author2=Vannamelon |access-date=June 1, 2022 |via=YouTube}}{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8R_F8SxpW8 |title=Youtooz, We Need To Talk!! Sincerely, Monika~ |date=July 5, 2022 |author=Vannamelon |access-date=July 5, 2022 |quote=Wait!? Is this video just an ad for Yuri's Youtooz!? AA̶̧̼̱̭̙̝̲̤͆̿̒͗͗̂̾͛͛̈́́̆̈͝H̷̡̩̺͍͉̦̮̜̥͈̬̗͛G̵̡̥̮̙͚̞̥̪͚̜̃̀̄͆̒͘͘͜͝H̶̡̜̻̺͈̦͎͙̫̻̪͈̆̈́̉̉̐̀̉̈̈́͊̀̚G̷̨̗͉̘̭͕̰̣̳̻̓̚͠H̸̨̧̨̡̛̰̫̘̱͍͈̻̼̞͈̤̒̍̐̃̀̌̈̋̈̀͂̂͝G̶̢̧͕̺͓̟̫̩̳̟̅́͗̑͐Ḩ̸̢̧͎̻̮̥̪̥̩̺̯̈́̀̒̂̔͌͋̀͠H̷͚̝̘͉̳̭̜͚̦̯̫̪͚̃͊́̆̊̓̒́͆̾́̈́̐̃H̵̢͎̻̙̙͙͚͊̎̄̐̓̌̏̐͘̕͘͠͝H̵̛̟͔̹̬͈͙̞̯͈̯̠͉̦͙͂̋͆͊̂́̑͘͜͝ |via=YouTube}}

Other officially licensed Doki Doki Literature Club! merchandise include clothing and stationary from Ocean in Space, Spencer's, and OMOCAT, plushies and toys from the Sanshee Company, framed in-game artwork from Artovision, pin badges from The Yetee, and watches from SuperGroupies USA.{{cite web |date=January 16, 2024 |title=Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! Merchandise |url=https://ddlc.plus/merch |access-date=January 16, 2024 |publisher=Team Salvato}}

File:Victoria derbyshire head.jpg, who discussed the game on her BBC show following the suicide of a 15-year old fan]]

On June 26, 2018, 15-year-old Ben Walmsley, a fan of Doki Doki Literature Club! from Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, committed suicide.{{Cite web |last1=Britton |first1=Paul |last2=Yarwood |first2=Sam |date=2018-06-26 |title=A 15-year-old boy dead. His dad warns about the 'horror' game he was playing |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/doki-literature-club-coroner-warning-14830749 |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=Manchester Evening News |language=en}} A moral panic surrounding the game occurred after Walmsley's father Darren claimed the game played a part in his son's suicide, but falsely claimed the game was played online and that characters could send messages to his son's phone: "There is no confirmation yet, but we believe that the game could be linked to Ben’s death. Characters suggest things and you decide what to do. It drags you in and they make it very real. Ben did not speak about it, but parents need to be aware of this game and other similar games. It is free to download but once you get into it, it will not leave you alone. The characters befriend and love you and give you tasks to do but if you do not do them, they turn nasty.”{{Cite web |title=Should children play Doki Doki Literature Club? {{!}} Internet Matters |url=https://www.internetmatters.org/hub/expert-opinion/should-children-play-doki-doki-literature-club/ |access-date=2021-12-07 |website=www.internetmatters.org}}

Ben’s school gave the following statement: "This is a psychological horror game with suicide as a main feature. A concern has been expressed that the game may trigger suicidal thoughts in young people who may be emotionally vulnerable. […] Please monitor and check your child’s internet use regularly and be mindful of the time spent." Greater Manchester Police added: "We believe this game is a risk to children and young people, especially those that are emotionally vulnerable and anyone with existing mental health concerns." The mother of another individual in Croatia spoke to The Sun, also alleging that the game was responsible for her son’s suicide: "There were many things happening with my son and Doki Doki is just one part of it, but I need the death of my son to have some meaning."{{Cite web |last=Oakley |first=Nicola |date=2018-09-28 |title=Parents receive urgent warning to delete 'sinister' app from kids' phones |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/parents-receive-urgent-warning-check-13324980 |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=The Mirror |language=en}}

On June 28, 2018, Doki Doki Literature Club! was discussed on the current affairs TV programme Victoria Derbyshire on BBC News. Due to the suicides of Sayori and Yuri, host Victoria Derbyshire claimed that Doki Doki Literature Club! is "a risk to children" and that its graphics "are clearly aimed at young people", and then had a 30-minute conversation between two people about the game, Laura Dale from game news website Kotaku and Lorna Fraser of the mental health charity Samaritans, who discussed the game's claim that it is suitable for people over the age of 13. Most of this conversation was about paying attention to the mental health of children and listening to disclaimers.{{Cite web |title=BBC Two - Victoria Derbyshire, 28/06/2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b7x9v2 |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}{{Cite news |title=Warnings over suicide-themed video game |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/technology-44644127 |access-date=2021-12-07 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=BBC Report on Doki Doki Literature Club Game Controversy |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2018-06-30/bbc-report-on-doki-doki-literature-club-game-controversy/.133608 |access-date=2021-12-07 |website=Anime News Network |language=en}}

On January 1, 2018, the main characters of Doki Doki Literature Club! were added to Yandere Simulator as character skins for the titular character, with Salvato's permission.{{cite web|date=January 1, 2018|title=Happy New Year!|url=https://yanderedev.wordpress.com/2018/01/01/happy-new-year/|website=Yandere Simulator Development Blog|access-date=July 17, 2020|archive-date=July 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190704113750/https://yanderedev.wordpress.com/2018/01/01/happy-new-year/|url-status=live}}{{cite tweet|user=dansalvato|number=948264568748462081|date=January 2, 2018|title=It's cool, I gave him permission under the condition that their likeness isn't exploited or used for profit in any way. }} Later that year, Monika also appeared as a DLC avatar in Gaia Online, without Salvato's permission.{{cite tweet|user=dansalvato|author-link=Dan Salvato|number=967142147768987648|date=February 23, 2018|title=Dan Salvato on Twitter: ".@gaiaonline I discovered recently that you stole my character design and sold it for money. I don't understand why you felt the need to do this. DDLC is a free game, even."}}

{{Notelist}}

{{Clear}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Doki Doki Literature Club!}}

• {{Official website}}
• [https://ddlc.plus/ Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! Website]
• {{IMDb title|7747832|Doki Doki Literature Club!}}
• {{Vndb|21905}}

{{Doki Doki Literature Club!}}

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