When pictures circulated online of a dating game that starred doves, many gamers suspected it to be a hoax. Promotional screenshots for the game portrayed photographs of actual birds, copied on illustrated
backgrounds of class rooms and parks. The quality of the screenshots made this inter-species dating-sim seem quite unlikely. It had to be a spoof, except that it was not. Hatoful Boyfriend (MIST[PSI]PRESS, 2011) gained popularity and critical attention through a play through by Angie Gallant at Quarter to Three forums increased the popularity of the game (Fahey, 2011). Bedridden, she started playing the game on November 28, 2011, and posted a “Let’s Play” account of screenshots with engaging and funny comments. Many fans and reviewers became acquainted with the game not by playing it, but by reading Angie’s hilarious walkthrough. Hatoful Boyfriend quickly became a cult favourite among fans of Japanese popular culture and beyond. At first mistaken as a bad game, fans were surprised to find something unique.
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