Why YANDERE Dating Sims Hit So Hard! Deep Dive Discussion With a Dev

Yandere dating sims are wildly popular these days. But why?

I sat down with indie romance game dev Flowers for Joy, creator of the beloved Criminally Yours: A Yandere Superhero Otome Game, to dig deep into one big question: Why are yanderes so irresistible?

In this discussion, we talk shop about the psychology, writing craft, and cultural appeal behind yandere characters — without glorifying real-life harm.

Also, especially in indie games, we discuss why these dark romance figures, who demand to be your entire world, keep us coming back for more. Join us as we uncover the fascinating and often unsettling world of yandere boyfriend archetypes in visual novels.

Feel free to share your own hot takes in the comments.

Note: We give examples and recommendations, but we do not reveal surprise yanderes in this video. No major plot spoilers. Many yandere games are 18+.

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TIMESTAMPS

00:00 WTF Is a Yandere?
06:24 Obsession & Danger: Appeal Explained
16:48 Writing Compelling Yandere Routes
24:34 Increase of Yandere Content & the Social Impact
35:05 How Far Would We Go?
41:25 Making a Yandere Monster Loveable
46:54 Examples, Recommendation, & News!

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CONNECT WITH JITTERRUE!
Twitch:   / jitterrue  
Discord:   / discord  

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FIND MORE GAMES BY FLOWERS FOR JOYhttps://flowersforjoy.itch.io/
Skywrite Studios: https://skywritestudios.itch.io/
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GET THE GAMES

Criminally Yours
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/37...
Itch: https://meant-to-bee-studios.itch.io/...

CR33P (Otome Jam 2025)
Itch: https://try-froggery.itch.io/cr33p

How To Break Up With Your Yandere Boyfriend
Itch: https://devilinlovegames.itch.io/how-...

House of Petals (demo)Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/37...
Itch: https://littlesnakestudio.itch.io/hou...

Binary Star Hero
Itch: https://concreteparasite.itch.io/bina...

A Little Inconvenience (demo)
Itch: https://husbandogoddess.itch.io/a-lit...

Under Your Skin
Itch: https://helloyinny.itch.io/under-your...

14 Days With You (demo)
Itch: https://cutiesai.itch.io/14dayswithyou

Heart Cage (18+)
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/25...

To Eat a God
Itch: https://soffis-mbm.itch.io/to-eat-a-god

Amnesia: Memories
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/35...
Also on Nintendo Switch

Bonus — To Eat a Canary (O2A2 Jam 2024)
Itch: https://minthedraws.itch.io/to-eat-a-...