Developer’s Log #3: Otome games are like bras and sanitary pads for women
Dear Princess Players, hello everyone! I’m the developer Ginyan. Episode 2 of the Common Route in “1000 Princes” is currently in production, and will be updated soon with brand-new content.
In the past I really enjoyed romance novels and TV dramas—“The Prince and Cinderella” themes in particular—as well as movies of that genre. The core of a romance-themed otome game is very much the same, so I naturally came to love playing various otome titles, and eventually became passionate about making them myself.
“1000 Princes” is an otome game created especially for female players who love romance. If, like me, you enjoy reading romance novels or watching romantic dramas, then you will very likely enjoy playing otome games—and you might just fall in love with “1000 Princes.”
To me, an otome game is like a woman’s bra or sanitary pad: a personal everyday necessity designed just for women. After all, otome games exist solely to delight a female audience. The goal isn’t victory, defeating enemies, or slaying monsters; there’s no complicated controller work or need to team up. An otome game exists purely for emotional fulfillment and spiritual comfort, for love and sweetness. It’s usually presented in the form of a visual novel, and most of the time all you need to do is click through the dialogue.
If a player doesn’t like romance to begin with—or is male—they may dislike or even loathe this kind of game. But whatever comments players leave, once I put my game online for sale, I must calmly accept all judgments. Of all the feedback I receive, I value most those comments from people who understand otome games and offer constructive suggestions on their mechanics and content.
During development, I play other otome games, keep up with otome-related news, and read widely the comments and thoughts of otome players. My original intention in creating the otome game “1000 Princes” was to let female fans of romance feel the princes’ intense, burning love! But the fundamental principle of developing an otome game is not to achieve perfection all at once—it is first and foremost to avoid committing any cardinal sins. Below, I’d like to briefly summarize the four great sins that an otome-game developer must never commit.
Sin #1: The Hero’s 3D Model Is Ugly!
An ugly 3D model of the male lead is an unforgivable capital offense for an otome‑game developer!
In real life, we kindly and inclusively accept people of all appearances—tall or short, fat or thin. Every individual’s diversity deserves respect, and prejudice or discrimination should be eliminated, since looks do not determine a person’s value.
But in an otome game, the very point of the male characters is that female players “pursue” them—and those characters themselves are a core part of the product. Their appearance defines the floor of the product’s quality, and that appearance must withstand the exacting standards of a wide audience of women.
When I use Character Creator to model each of the princes in 1000 Princes, I aim to make each one resemble a beautiful, exquisite doll—both to create a lush visual feast and to avoid any resemblance to real men (no accidental “face‑offs”). In body modeling, I always give the princes broad shoulders so they look protective and reassuring—someone female players will want to lean on. These physical traits concretely convey each prince’s strength and charm.
Still, these 3D models need improvement on every front. Artistic enhancements and programming optimizations alike are challenging, and no single art style can please every player, given such diverse tastes. I must both explore and refine a distinctive visual style of my own while also incorporating otome‑player feedback to optimize the models.
Although I try to compensate for any shortcomings in the 3D models by shaping each prince’s inner qualities—kindness, loyalty, devotion, sincerity—there’s no denying that for otome‑game fans, an attractive male lead is hugely important. I will continue refining the 3D models—I absolutely refuse to commit this sin!
Sin #2: Personal “Headcanon.”
“Personal headcanon” refers to a developer’s habit of embedding their own personality traits, preferences, and life experiences into the game’s characters. For example, a developer who loves spicy food, has no sense of direction, or once lived in a particular city might load all those quirks onto the heroine. When perceptive players catch on, the developer is often met with a tidal wave of criticism.
The core of an otome game is the player’s immersion as the heroine in a beautiful romance with a handsome prince. Every female player wants to feel that she, and she alone, is uniquely loved by the prince—not that she’s merely standing in for the developer or, worse, that the heroine is the developer’s alter ego. If players sense they’re simply playing “some other girl’s” story, they feel deeply betrayed—this sweet romance has been exposed as a deception.
That’s why I regularly launch a strict review process to check for any traces of personal headcanon in my work. Here, I promise every player that my otome games contain no personal headcanon—and in all future development, I will never commit this sin!
Sin #3: The Female Developer Reveals Herself.
I believe that in otome‑game promotion, a female developer showing her face is like an Afghan woman under the Taliban removing her burqa—female players will “execute” that behavior without mercy. The unique magic of an otome game lies in the developer’s total dedication to crafting a dream for female players. As they immerse themselves in a believable romance with the male lead, they want to believe the prince truly exists in that virtual world.
But no one wants to be reminded that this beloved prince is just a 3D model—someone’s digital asset manipulated by the developer. If players sense that the prince is controlled by “some other woman,” it feels like a provocation and an offense to them.
Terribly, I feel I may have already committed this sin! I often appear on camera in my promotional videos, sharing every detail of my development process. I worry it comes across as flaunting mediocre skills. I even wear a long curly wig, use heavy beauty filters, and indulge in vanity—surely that’s irritating!
Yet if I never show my face, people assume a team or studio made the game. In reality, 1000 Princes is crafted entirely by me—one living, breathing human being.
So here’s my confession: at heart I’m nothing but your little pink piggy—yes, the same short‑legged piggy who’s stolen bits of your timeline! Have you recognized me? As your pink piggy, I want to assure you that each of the 1000 princes loves you deeply, and no one can ever break the bond between you and your princes!
Sin #4: The Hero Neglects, Betrays, or Harms the Heroine.
I believe players of otome games should never suffer any hurt at the hands of the male lead—especially paying customers. As a developer, how could I ask players to spend real money on my game only to endure emotional or verbal abuse from the prince? That would be a grave disrespect both to the players and to their money. My goal in creating an otome game is to deliver romance, love, and joy. If any storyline or dialogue ever depicts a prince mocking, insulting, betraying, cheating on, or physically harming the heroine, then as the developer,I must kneel, disembowel myself, and apologize.
An otome game exists to provide the highest possible emotional and psychological reward for female players. In 1000 Princes, every prince holds you—the player—in the palm of his hand like a princess. They dote on you and adore you so much that they wouldn’t even scold you for a single mistake, let alone hurt you. A game built on selling sweetness and happiness would never dare to make its players unhappy!
These are my core convictions as an independent developer, handling design, script, art, and programming all on my own. 1000 Princes is a series into which I pour vast amounts of time, energy, and money. I am committed to the motto “Born to Love You” and to giving female otome fans the most beautiful, sweetest romantic experience possible.
I deeply thank every player who has installed 1000 Princes and every person who has left feedback. Going forward, I will listen even more closely to your suggestions on characters, plot, and gameplay, continually improving and optimizing both the technology and content of 1000 Princes!