caducus
New member
- Jul 30, 2026
- 17
- 24
Gonna apologize in advance, because I have a lot of thoughts about this, and I'm probably gonna end up writing a novella. There's a lot of stuff that needs to be considered, and I think it's important to take a look at the history of BL games in general, plus a couple of other notes.
So - BL games started releasing in January of 1999, if you consider Sei Valentine Gakuen to be the first BL game. As far as I know, there weren't a ton of other games that came out that year (maybe 7-10, total?) or the following year in 2000 (maybe 15-20). I think Alice Blue, Ritz, and Tennenouji made their debut around that time.
Now, I will acknowledge that BL games are a niche market. But this was a new medium for fujos and fudans and the LGBTQ+ space in general. And yes, I realize that the two are NOT the same market, but there is some overlap. As such, there was a definite SURGE in the beginning. A lot of interest and people willing to spend money to get their hands on something that literally didn't exist prior to this point.
So, around 2001, companies jumped on what they saw as an emerging trend and did their best to capitalize on it by putting together as much content as they could packages and sell. I'd say there were probably at least 50 BL releases in 2001, with notable releases by Spray, Ritz, and Marine Heart.
As a side note, part of the early flood was a direct result of Ritz and Marine Heart. Ritz released 23 games between 2000 and 2008 (19 of which came out between 2000 and 2004). Marine Heart put out 32 games between 2000 and 2006.
Have to point out that kind of productivity is NOT the norm for any game company. Take a look at some stats from who I would consider some "big names." Keep in mind that some of these numbers are padded by April Fool's treats, fandiscs or spin-offs for existing games (which are not quite as labor-intensive as a straight up new release):
For quality games, it's more likely that you're going to get a release every 3 years (or more). And it takes time for a company to reliably establish itself to the fanbase - a single, amazing release is going to get you some interest... but the next game may not be available to play until 3, 4, 5 years later. And a LOT can happen in 5 years, to both the company and the market.
Anyway, output for BL games stayed pretty high in 2002 and 2003. I'm gonna say somewhere around 60-80 games each year. A lot of these releases were doujin games, because for as much as companies wanted to make money, the fans are a driving force unto themselves for content - be the change you want to see and all that jazz. From 2004 to maybe 2010, I'd estimate we were getting about 100 games a year. Again, decent number of releases by notable companies, but plenty of smaller circles, indie devs and doujin games as well.
You also have to keep in mind that these games weren't actually (legally) available in the English. I don't think the first official BL localization came out until 2006, maybe?
Which isn't to say there wasn't UNOFFICIAL translation happening. The fans want what the fans want - which brings me to my next point. Torrents became a thing around 2001, and IRC was around way before that. I'd say 2004 is when internet piracy was at its peak. It existed prior to then, of course - and even before the internet could be used for file sharing, bootlegs have always exists... but torrents and IRC made it a lot easier for people to gain access to MORE. More content, more quickly.
And yes, some of that content simply wasn't available in certain countries and was the only way you could get it. I honestly believe that fan translations helped to create the market that exists today. But for as many people who are willing to pay money to support creators, there are probably at least twice as many who won't - and that revenue (or lack there of) is also a driving force that determines if a company will continue to produce content, because a labor of love will only get you so far without a paycheck.
Anyway, I think it's important to note that there WAS a decline in releases from Japan around 2011, but no real drop in the number of games being released. Because it's at this point that we started to see an increase in games created by countries who WEREN'T Japan - developers from Europe, China, and the US. Still, a lot of these devs were - once again - small circles and doujin. Not really big name companies.
And I don't necessarily think we're GOING to see a ton of big-name companies dropping a ton of new games as we move forward, because:
Itch.io launched in 2013 (coincidentally, the same year ebi-hime started releasing games). It gained traction in the next year or two thanks to the business model and popularization of game jams, which encouraged small devs to create and share. Ren'py (a program used to create visual novels) has been around since, like 2003, but it got MASSIVELY popular around 2016/17, partly because of some of the visual novels that came out during that time, and partly because creators could start making small games and releasing them on Itch.io. And, the LGBTQ+ movement was on the upswing, too. Legalization of same-sex marriage in the US and an increased normalization and acceptance.
Fast forward some more to 2017/2018. There's probably somewhere around the vicinity of 150+ BL games being produced a year, and those doujin games and small circles started putting out games of higher quality - thank you Kickstarter and Crowdfunding. We also started seeing more localization of games (slow, but sure) and more companies (English-speaking or otherwise) who were making BL games. Argent Games was established around 2016. YPress Games, BLits, and Herculion were all established around 2017. Two and a Half Studios was established in 2020.
There's also the more recent trend of games being created that offer more flexibility towards the gender of both the main character and the love interests, and I think there's some crossover/bleed through with these as well. Games where all the LIs are male, but you can choose if the MC is male or female, allowing you to play it as either a BL or an otome. Games where the MC IS either male or female out of the gate, but you're given options for LIs who are both male or female. Some people don't like it, but personally, I think it's amazing if it's done well.
And I kind of think that's where we're at as we move forward. 150-200 games being put out a year, but the bulk of them are small devs. Some of them aren't strictly "BL only." And of course, there are still some established companies putting out games, but slowly.
If you're talking strictly Japanese... well, at a glance, there's Ooe (ADELTA) & Lesson (parade), which both came out in 2025. The localization for these was announced by MangaGamer, even though we don't have a date for either yet. Kanrakugai Chou-Wa (Hanatsuki Ren) was also 2025, and HolicWorks' Suito wa Hakumei came out this year. ADELTA's working on Tsukiiro Tanshikyoku with MonstreCarameliser, although I think that announcement has been out for a WHILE (2022, maybe?)
You might count MADA Labo's Sexy Salaryman game and tennenouji's Ani Asobi - or you might not, since they're very different from the games that have been released by these companies previously. But they are technically new releases from big names. And there's This Game is Not Real which just came out, although that's very much a small dev for all that they got a release through Jast. I can think of a couple other titles, but not big names.
But if you're willing to look at stuff from the rest of the world, there's Bifröst: Prelude to the Storm which is supposed to come out this year. Same with Symbiant II (HeartCoreDev), The Inn Between (Cats on a Lilypad Studios) & Vincere Studio's Cerulian Invasion sequel. Ebi-hime has several VNs lined up over the next several months, too.
And no idea when they'll actually come out, but there's a bunch that were announced or have demos, and now it's just a waiting game: Jock Studios & Union Max (BLits), Knee Deep!: In Love (Comfort Kuma), Love & Fool's Gold (Games with DNA), Overnight (Zullz Games), Touchstarved (Red Spring Studio), Dragon Riders (YPress), and Draculesti (Fine Feathered Fiends). Last, there are a bunch of small devs publishing stuff on the regular that I'm finding everyday, on both Itch.io and Steam, and some random Chinese VNs that are getting (admittedly terrible) translation.
Stuff changes and evolves all the time, and the market is not the same as it was 25 years ago. But, I dunno, I don't think that's a bad thing (although I do think we should be supporting creators whenever possible, because it's in our best interest to keep them fed and happy so they can continue to produce the content that we want to see).
So - BL games started releasing in January of 1999, if you consider Sei Valentine Gakuen to be the first BL game. As far as I know, there weren't a ton of other games that came out that year (maybe 7-10, total?) or the following year in 2000 (maybe 15-20). I think Alice Blue, Ritz, and Tennenouji made their debut around that time.
Now, I will acknowledge that BL games are a niche market. But this was a new medium for fujos and fudans and the LGBTQ+ space in general. And yes, I realize that the two are NOT the same market, but there is some overlap. As such, there was a definite SURGE in the beginning. A lot of interest and people willing to spend money to get their hands on something that literally didn't exist prior to this point.
So, around 2001, companies jumped on what they saw as an emerging trend and did their best to capitalize on it by putting together as much content as they could packages and sell. I'd say there were probably at least 50 BL releases in 2001, with notable releases by Spray, Ritz, and Marine Heart.
As a side note, part of the early flood was a direct result of Ritz and Marine Heart. Ritz released 23 games between 2000 and 2008 (19 of which came out between 2000 and 2004). Marine Heart put out 32 games between 2000 and 2006.
Have to point out that kind of productivity is NOT the norm for any game company. Take a look at some stats from who I would consider some "big names." Keep in mind that some of these numbers are padded by April Fool's treats, fandiscs or spin-offs for existing games (which are not quite as labor-intensive as a straight up new release):
- Nitro+CHiRAL: 13 games, from 2005 to 2021.
- ADELTA: 7 games, from 2014 and 2024.
- MADA Labo: 5 games, from 2011 to 2026.
- Parade: 4 games, from 2013 to 2025.
- Pil/Slash: 10 games, from 2006 to 2021.
- Tennenouji: 12 games, from 2000 to 2025.
For quality games, it's more likely that you're going to get a release every 3 years (or more). And it takes time for a company to reliably establish itself to the fanbase - a single, amazing release is going to get you some interest... but the next game may not be available to play until 3, 4, 5 years later. And a LOT can happen in 5 years, to both the company and the market.
Anyway, output for BL games stayed pretty high in 2002 and 2003. I'm gonna say somewhere around 60-80 games each year. A lot of these releases were doujin games, because for as much as companies wanted to make money, the fans are a driving force unto themselves for content - be the change you want to see and all that jazz. From 2004 to maybe 2010, I'd estimate we were getting about 100 games a year. Again, decent number of releases by notable companies, but plenty of smaller circles, indie devs and doujin games as well.
You also have to keep in mind that these games weren't actually (legally) available in the English. I don't think the first official BL localization came out until 2006, maybe?
Which isn't to say there wasn't UNOFFICIAL translation happening. The fans want what the fans want - which brings me to my next point. Torrents became a thing around 2001, and IRC was around way before that. I'd say 2004 is when internet piracy was at its peak. It existed prior to then, of course - and even before the internet could be used for file sharing, bootlegs have always exists... but torrents and IRC made it a lot easier for people to gain access to MORE. More content, more quickly.
And yes, some of that content simply wasn't available in certain countries and was the only way you could get it. I honestly believe that fan translations helped to create the market that exists today. But for as many people who are willing to pay money to support creators, there are probably at least twice as many who won't - and that revenue (or lack there of) is also a driving force that determines if a company will continue to produce content, because a labor of love will only get you so far without a paycheck.
Anyway, I think it's important to note that there WAS a decline in releases from Japan around 2011, but no real drop in the number of games being released. Because it's at this point that we started to see an increase in games created by countries who WEREN'T Japan - developers from Europe, China, and the US. Still, a lot of these devs were - once again - small circles and doujin. Not really big name companies.
And I don't necessarily think we're GOING to see a ton of big-name companies dropping a ton of new games as we move forward, because:
- BL, for all its growing popularity, is still a niche.
- It takes years to produce a quality work.
- It takes multiple quality works to establish a "big-name" company - and there just aren't that many out there, comparatively speaking.
- Piracy plays a role in revenue, and piracy isn't going anywhere.
Itch.io launched in 2013 (coincidentally, the same year ebi-hime started releasing games). It gained traction in the next year or two thanks to the business model and popularization of game jams, which encouraged small devs to create and share. Ren'py (a program used to create visual novels) has been around since, like 2003, but it got MASSIVELY popular around 2016/17, partly because of some of the visual novels that came out during that time, and partly because creators could start making small games and releasing them on Itch.io. And, the LGBTQ+ movement was on the upswing, too. Legalization of same-sex marriage in the US and an increased normalization and acceptance.
Fast forward some more to 2017/2018. There's probably somewhere around the vicinity of 150+ BL games being produced a year, and those doujin games and small circles started putting out games of higher quality - thank you Kickstarter and Crowdfunding. We also started seeing more localization of games (slow, but sure) and more companies (English-speaking or otherwise) who were making BL games. Argent Games was established around 2016. YPress Games, BLits, and Herculion were all established around 2017. Two and a Half Studios was established in 2020.
There's also the more recent trend of games being created that offer more flexibility towards the gender of both the main character and the love interests, and I think there's some crossover/bleed through with these as well. Games where all the LIs are male, but you can choose if the MC is male or female, allowing you to play it as either a BL or an otome. Games where the MC IS either male or female out of the gate, but you're given options for LIs who are both male or female. Some people don't like it, but personally, I think it's amazing if it's done well.
And I kind of think that's where we're at as we move forward. 150-200 games being put out a year, but the bulk of them are small devs. Some of them aren't strictly "BL only." And of course, there are still some established companies putting out games, but slowly.
If you're talking strictly Japanese... well, at a glance, there's Ooe (ADELTA) & Lesson (parade), which both came out in 2025. The localization for these was announced by MangaGamer, even though we don't have a date for either yet. Kanrakugai Chou-Wa (Hanatsuki Ren) was also 2025, and HolicWorks' Suito wa Hakumei came out this year. ADELTA's working on Tsukiiro Tanshikyoku with MonstreCarameliser, although I think that announcement has been out for a WHILE (2022, maybe?)
You might count MADA Labo's Sexy Salaryman game and tennenouji's Ani Asobi - or you might not, since they're very different from the games that have been released by these companies previously. But they are technically new releases from big names. And there's This Game is Not Real which just came out, although that's very much a small dev for all that they got a release through Jast. I can think of a couple other titles, but not big names.
But if you're willing to look at stuff from the rest of the world, there's Bifröst: Prelude to the Storm which is supposed to come out this year. Same with Symbiant II (HeartCoreDev), The Inn Between (Cats on a Lilypad Studios) & Vincere Studio's Cerulian Invasion sequel. Ebi-hime has several VNs lined up over the next several months, too.
And no idea when they'll actually come out, but there's a bunch that were announced or have demos, and now it's just a waiting game: Jock Studios & Union Max (BLits), Knee Deep!: In Love (Comfort Kuma), Love & Fool's Gold (Games with DNA), Overnight (Zullz Games), Touchstarved (Red Spring Studio), Dragon Riders (YPress), and Draculesti (Fine Feathered Fiends). Last, there are a bunch of small devs publishing stuff on the regular that I'm finding everyday, on both Itch.io and Steam, and some random Chinese VNs that are getting (admittedly terrible) translation.
Stuff changes and evolves all the time, and the market is not the same as it was 25 years ago. But, I dunno, I don't think that's a bad thing (although I do think we should be supporting creators whenever possible, because it's in our best interest to keep them fed and happy so they can continue to produce the content that we want to see).
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