On March 11, the Jordanian Public Security Directorate made a Facebook post warning parents of the dangers of exposing their children to video games that may look suitable for their age, but in reality, feature “dangerous psychological content.” Team Salvato’s Doki Doki Literature Club! was called out specifically, as the game seems to have recently become popular on Jordanian websites and video-sharing platforms.
First released on September 22, 2017, Doki Doki Literature Club! is a visual novel that lures players in with its cute, anime-style aesthetic. While the beginning is similar to a standard school-themed dating simulator, the game soon reveals its psychological horror influences and spirals into dark themes.
Due to this gap in visual style and content, the Jordanian Public Security Directorate has decided to warn parents against downloading the game onto smartphones and electronic devices, and asks them to promote conversations with their children regarding the safe use of the internet and video games.
While Doki Doki Literature Club! and its expanded version, Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!, explicitly state that they are “not suitable for children or the easily disturbed”, the text is often found at the very bottom of their digital store and physical edition descriptions. Similar warnings can also be found in promotional materials and when booting up the games, but by this time, players are already filled with anticipation that they won’t bother reading them. On the other hand, the game’s mobile editions are explicitly categorized as 18+ titles.
Doki Doki Literature Club!’s rise in popularity in Jordan is likely due to the base game being released for free on Android and iOS devices last December 2025. Though the additional content from Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! is locked behind a $9.99 USD paywall, this does not make the experience of playing it any less disturbing.
