Summertime Saga
| Summertime Saga | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Kompas Productions |
| Platform(s) | |
| Genre(s) | dating simulator, visual novel |
| Mode(s) | single-player |
Summertime Saga is an Adult visual novel being developed by Kompas Productions, run by pseudonymous developer DarkCookie. It's first public release was on August 2016 as a crowdfunded early access title on Patreon. It has since been the most funded game on the site since October 2017.[1]
The game follows a young man navigating the challenges of his final year of collage while managing part-time jobs, unraveling the mystery tied to his late father's murder, and engaging in sexual relationships with many of the townspeople.[2] It has received both scholarly attention and criticism for its treatment of a romanceable transgender character.[2][3]
Plot
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (January 2025) |
Development
[edit]
DarkCookie began developing Summertime Saga in 2016 using the Ren'Py engine, intended as a small-scale project to learn Python programming. He has claimed it was initially not intended to be an adult game but was moved in that direction based on feedback from early players.[2] By 2018, it was earning $41,000 per month on Patreon, ranking as the fifth-most patronized project on the platform at the time, ahead of more-covered creators like musician Amanda Palmer.[4] By 2021, its monthly earnings had surpassed $74,000 from over 29,000 patrons.[3] The game's development is funded through a tiered Patreon model that provides backers with access to updates at different intervals.[5]
Gameplay
[edit]
The Player assume the role of a nameable male protagonist in sandbox style game set in the fictional town of Summerville. The gameplay combines point-and-click mechanics with dialogue-driven storytelling and playable minigames.[2][6][3][4]
Unlike many adult games that use anime art styles or 3D models, Summertime Saga features cartoonish, hand-drawn visuals.[2]
Reception
[edit]By 2022, it ranked as the sixth-most searched video game on adult video-sharing website Pornhub, alongside mainstream titles like Overwatch and Minecraft.[7][8]
The game's success has cemented its status as a flagship title in the Western adult gaming industry, influencing the growth of other crowdfunded erotic games.[3][4]
References
[edit]- ^ "DarkCookie: Patreon Earnings + Statistics + Graphs + Rank". Graphtreon. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Macgregor, Jody (10 April 2021). "The most popular adult game on Patreon is being made by someone who'd never played one before". PC Gamer. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
- ^ a b c d Lankoski, P.; Apperley, T.; Harviainen, J. T. (2023). "Platform-produced Heteronormativity: A Content Analysis of Adult Videogames on Patreon". Games and Culture. 18 (1): 102–123. doi:10.1177/15554120221084453.
- ^ a b c Winkie, Luke (24 July 2018). "Porn Game Developers Are Making Big Money Thanks To Crowd-Funding". Kotaku. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
- ^ Lankoski, P.; Dymek, M. (January 2020). Patreon and porn games: Crowdfunding games, reward categories and backstage passes. Proceedings of DiGRA 2020 Conference: Play Everywhere.
- ^ Macgregor, Jody (18 December 2024). "The best sex games on PC that aren't garbage". PC Gamer. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
- ^ Jiang, Sisi (15 December 2022). "Pornhub's 2022 Searches Dominated By Minecraft, Overwatch, And Fortnite". Kotaku. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
- ^ "The 2022 Year in Review - Pornhub Insights". Pornhub. 8 December 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2025.