Police have also urged parents to be vigilant after concerns were raised about free-to-play game Doki Doki Literature Club, calling it a ‘risk to children and young people’. Schools have also been alerted by a coroner investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of 15-year-old Ben Walmsley in Radcliffe, Bury, in February, ahead of an inquest, the Manchester Evening News reports. The warning has apparently been heeded by some head teachers, with the head of Hetton Primary School, which teaches children aged 4 to 11, issuing a warning to parents on the school’s Facebook page:

This is the latest in a long line of moral panics in Great Britain concerning anime and video games that feature cute girls, although it may be the first case in which a game has had any links whatsoever to a child being harmed. There are alternative endings depending on choices made during the course of the game, but it features graphic references and images of violence, suicide and self-harm. Ben’s father Darren Walmsley, 49, from Radcliffe, said he believes the ‘dark’ game ‘dragged him in’ and revealed Ben was even sketching characters from the game. The 49-year-old revealed Ben was sketching Doki Doki characters and would be contacted by text message during the day and at night, often waking him up after putting his mobile number into the game. © Trinity Mirror Shared Services Limited

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Mr Walmsley said: “Ben was growing up fast. “It is hard for parents but this needs to be highlighted. The Manchester coroner’s office, which had been tasked with investigating the boy’s death, informed local authorities across the country about the dangers of the visual novel. 'The internet is a great thing, but it is also a minefield.' It drags you in and they make it very real. “Ben did not speak about it, but parents need to be aware of this game and other similar games. “It is free to download but once you get into it, it will not leave you alone. The characters befriend and love you and give you tasks to do but if you do not do them, they turn nasty.”

The senior coroner for north Manchester has alerted councils and schools, with awareness messages being shared on Facebook. Philips High School in Whitefield, where Ben was a pupil posted online: 'A concern has recently been brought to our attention by HM Senior Coroner regarding the use by young people of the online game 'Doki Doki', also known as 'Doki Doki Literature Club'. Dubbed a ‘visual novel’, it appears at first to be a lighthearted dating simulator involving students in a literature club but is in fact a psychological horror and features suicide as a plot device. Please monitor and check your child’s internet use regularly and be mindful of the time spent.”

© Trinity Mirror Shared Services Limited A grab from the website

Schools across Greater Manchester and Lancashire have also shared the warning. Det Insp Jude Holmes, from GMP’s Public Protection Division, urged parents to regularly check websites their children are using, as some aren’t flagged up by usual firewall settings. She said the force had been made aware of the game and said: “We believe this game is a risk to children and young people, especially those that are emotionally vulnerable and anyone with existing mental health concerns. It’s also really important to discuss with your children which games and apps are suitable, and ensure they understand why others aren’t appropriate to use.”

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Mr Walmsley added: “Children are curious but they can get sucked in. The characters are clearly designed to drag young lads in. “Ben was intelligent and funny with a great sense of humour. He was a gent, loving and caring. We just want to find out why and at the moment, it’s all pointing to this game.”

Doki Doki Literature Club was released last year by US-based developer Team Salvato. Local authorities across the country have received a warning over the interactive game Doki Doki Literature Club from Manchester’s coroner office, after an investigation into the death of a 15-year-old boy found evidence he had been playing it.
Following the suicide of a teenage boy from Radcliffe, Greater Manchester in England police issue a public statement and the coroner sends notices to schools warning of the game Doki Doki Literature Club!.