Google is taking down the Doki Doki literature club

Serenity Forge revealed last night that Doki Doki Literature Club was removed from the Google Play Store earlier this week for violating the platform's terms of service.

“DDLC is available on many different platforms, including iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and more,” explained creator Dan Salvato. “We are continuing to do everything we can to find a way forward to restore DLLC to the Google Play Store. In the meantime, we are also considering potential options for alternative distribution methods on Android devices.”

It's unclear exactly how Doki Doki Literature Club's “display of sensitive topics” violated the Google Play Store's terms of service, as it was approved and has been available on the platform since December 2025, but the team has assured fans that it will “keep fans informed about the future of DDLC for Android.”

Is the Doki Doki literary club the latest victim of video game censorship?

Over the past year, payment processors have pressured stores like Steam and itch.io to remove adult games, and while the first wave focused on controversial games depicting rape and incest, the idea that payment processors could use their power to unilaterally determine what's allowed has raised alarm.

Adding to these concerns was an employee from retro store ZOOM, who claimed that titles such as Grand Theft Auto, Duke Nukem and Saints Row were described as “potentially at risk” during conversations with payment processors. Violent video games have been scrutinized since their inception, but now political groups like Collective Shout have shown that this puritanical panic can be used to pressure payment processors to take action, setting a new precedent. This is especially true for independent developers who don't have the financial resources to take on MasterCard and Visa.

We've already seen this campaign extend beyond adult games to indie horror, with Horses, Vile: Exhumed and Red Pine Lake banned from Steam last year. While it is unknown if the removal of Doki Doki Literature Club is related to this recent wave of censorship, many, such as Castlevania: Nocturne artist Suzanne Sharp, believe it is. “They're after horror,” she said. “We said it would happen.

Serenity Forge's explanation that DDLC was removed due to “its depiction of sensitive themes” certainly hints at censorship, but the store's site has been clear about these themes since its launch five months ago, and upon launching the game you are asked to agree to “highly disturbing content” before you can play. Not to mention, Doki Doki Literature Club was first released almost a decade ago on itch.io and Steam. It's no small secret that the cute pastel visuals typical of a visual novel are just a mask for the graphic content and horror that DDLC is otherwise known for.

“DDLC 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,” said Salvato. “To be able to do that — to make a truly meaningful difference using the power of fiction to connect with others — is what I'm most grateful for. It inspires me every day to create great new things, things that can really reach others, especially those who need connection.”