Doki Doki Literature Club online game: coroner issues warning over content of online game Local authorities across the country have been warned about the contents of an online game, Doki Doki Literature Club, following […]

Local authorities across the country have been warned about the contents of an online game, Doki Doki Literature Club, following an inquest into the death of a teenager.

The Manchester coroner’s office has contacted local authorities and the Sunderland Safeguarding Children Board has contacted schools in the area after an inquest into the death of a 15-year-old boy found evidence he had been playing the online game.

Doki Doki Literature Club is an online game that states it is “not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed”, though its aesthetic could appeal to youngsters as it displays cute characters and its premise is based on a writing club.

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Psychological horror game

However, it turns into a psychological horror game with suicide as a main feature.

It follows things such as mental health issues, voices in their head, self-harming, suicide and violent scenes such as one of the player’s neck snapping.

The coroner contacted local authorities across the country saying: “I believe the information is so concerning that this warrants my writing at this stage to make the local authorities aware of the issue so appropriate information can be disseminated.

“This has arisen due to the fact I am conducting the inquest into the death of a 15-year-old-boy who died earlier this year. Evidence obtained suggested he had used an online game called Doki Doki.”

Promoting child welfare

Sunderland Safeguarding Children Board has distributed this information to schools in the city.

Sir Paul Ennals, chairman of the board, said: “The Sunderland Safeguarding Children Board and its national and regional partners all work together to protect children and young people and promote their welfare.

“Part of this is sharing concerns about issues and community safety messages on how they might be addressed.

“On this occasion it was to share information with schools about the death of a young person outside of our area, which the coroner at the inquest felt it was relevant to share with colleagues across the country.”

Warning shared with parents

Nicola Hill was one of the headteachers who shared a warning with parents on Hetton Primary School’s Facebook page.

She said: “I wanted to warn parents, especially those who might have older children, about this game.

“The internet is a great thing, but it is also a minefield.” Doki Doki Literature Club was developed in 2017 by game producers Salvato and is believed to have been downloaded more than two million times in the first four months.

Team Salvo has been contacted for comment.

The original source of this article is our sister title Sunderland Echo