Screenshot : Kindred Spirits ( MangaGamer )

After running into issues with Steam, video game publisher MangaGamer is teaming up with the digital store’s biggest rival, GOG, to sell visual novels.


Last week, several developers of visual novels with varying degrees of sexual content received emails from Valve saying that their games were in danger of being removed by the end of the month. Among these games was Kindred Spirits, published by MangaGamer, which was the first uncensored visual novel to be released on Steam. Although Valve has reached out to these developers to say that their games are no longer in danger, MangaGamer says it is now seeking new retailers to sell its games.

“This opportunity couldn’t have come at a better time,” John Pickett, PR Director of MangaGamer, said in a press release. “We had been speaking with GOG prior to recent events about adding visual novels as a genre to their retail platform, and with Valve now threatening the livelihoods of visual novel developers everywhere, it’s a huge relief to see GOG opening their doors to these games.” Pickett also said that the company hopes to release its full catalog of games on GOG eventually.


The first slate of games to launch on GOG are Fault, Sunrider, eden*, and Higurashi When They Cry. MangaGamer says that it is working with GOG to release nine other titles on the platform, including Kindred Spirits.

“Steam has now proven that it’s growing unreliable for small and independent developers, so we are very grateful to have the next biggest retailer in the PC market welcoming Visual Novels with open arms and an eye for quality,” Pickett said.