Australian game maker Lumi Interactive has announced that its new game, Take Me or Leaf Me, will be released on Valentine’s Day.

Taking cues from wacky dating sims, such as Hatoful Boyfriend, the title will see players take the role of a singleton on the hunt for a new plant, only to find that the plants are “actually super hot” and eager for the protagonist to take them home…

The game is set in the same universe as the company’s game Kinder World, which utilises evidence-based exercises to promote emotional and wellbeing among players.

The game is a short experience, with a playtime of 15 to 20 minutes, four romanceable houseplants, and six endings, and players will unlock a new “Terracotome” pot in Kinder World for completing the game.

Is Lumi Interactive barking up the wrong tree?

Although it’s not necessarily the flashiest genre, dating sims have carved out a sizable niche in the market. Crucially, a number of dating sims have thrived by incorporating quirky storylines. These include the aforementioned Hatoful Boyfriend, where the love interests are all birds, or Hooked on You, a spin-off of the popular horror game Dead by Daylight.

These games can utilise a variety of different mechanics and tropes not just to appeal to established fans of the genre, but to grab the attention of other players with quirky stories, achieving success by becoming the subject of memes or online discussion. By utilising an established IP, it’s also possible that Lumi Interactive can leverage the success of each game to bring attention to the other, helping increase user acquisition. As such Take Me or Leaf Me, if successful, can act not just as a game in its own right but an advertising tool for further products.

The Kinder World universe features a heavy focus on female and non-binary players, representing a growing push for inclusivity within the games space.