Date Everything!… … The title alone just calls for weirdness, right? We've all been there, scrolling through dating apps, feeling like we'd have a better shot with a toaster. Well, Sassy Chap Games expanded on that idea completely and turned it into something wonderful. This first-time title drops you into a world where you’re dating everything around you – and I mean everything. From sentient staplers to amorous air conditioners, the dating pool is colorful, to put it mildly. Beyond the initial shock value and the undeniably fun sandbox experience, I keep asking myself: is there something more here? Could this strange idea really be the key to igniting new creative firepower for African game developers?

Is This Game a Blueprint?

To be honest, even the most forgiving graphic designer would tell you that the graphics are… god awful. The reviewer code disclaimer is right. Character and player movement are very “janky,” as the review noted. Here's the thing: that doesn't matter. What does matter is the sheer audacity of the idea, the fully voiced cast (kudos for landing Ashley Johnson, Laura Bailey, and Troy Baker!), and the sheer volume of content. 100 dateable objects, each with multiple endings? That's commitment.

What if that commitment, that dedication to a bold vision, could be used at the local level. Imagine African developers taking this core concept – the dating sim, the focus on character interaction – and applying it to their own cultural landscapes. Imagine dating sims with major actors from African history or mythology. Think wrestling with large socio-political topics through the framework of dating and building relationships with these culturally specific objects or concepts. The possibilities are endless.

The transient nature of the gameplay mechanics – simple conversation options affecting the type of relationship you can form – is a big factor, too. It means you don’t have to have a AAA studio budget to make an experience that has addictive qualities like the best dating sims. That’s something that, produced in that way, can be repeated, iterated, and localized by much smaller teams working with less resources.

Can "Date-a-dex" Inspire Change?

Your “date-a-dex,” the in-game encyclopedia keeping tabs on your dates is not a simple checklist. It’s your trophy of days spent traveling in this strange country. It’s a tool for discovery. And that, all by itself, is a pretty potent metaphor.

The Date Everything! premise is that you got fired by AI. Sounds familiar? The opportunity and danger posed by the rapid ascent of AI is no hyperbole, it is a deep concern for billions of people. What if, instead of being afraid of it, we learned to work with it as a powerful tool to make change happen? What if African developers used AI, not to replace human ingenuity, but to augment it? Imagine AI-powered tools that generate personalized narratives and dialogue trees. These tools would be able to develop fantastic personality designs rooted in African folklore and cultural heritage.

Think about it: the game uses voices from famous voice actors. When it’s a localized version, they’re bringing in local voice talent, which then creates more opportunities for local talents.

The ceremonial “Date-a-dex” might just inspire a new generation of African game developers. Only then will they truly have the opportunity to embody and communicate their distinct individual stories and experiences.

NFTs, Blockchain, and the Future?

Now, here's where it gets really interesting. The Platinum Award is a nice touch. While I’m bummed to miss the launch discount, this is an excellent marketing strategy on their part. What if we extended the concept of player ownership a little further?

It’s clear that Date Everything! wishes to be a weird, whimsical journey. Which is exactly why I think developers from Africa need to be looking at how they can leverage NFTs and blockchain tech with their games. Picture dateable characters as NFTs, each with their own distinctive traits and possible storylines. Players could fully own these characters, trade them with each other, and even have a meaningful role in creating and evolving them.

This isn’t merely about creating a new revenue stream. It’s about using special elements of the game itself to foster a player-owned economy that benefits both players and developers alike. It’s about creating a culture around the game, one in which everyone has something to lose if it fails.

The price point of £30 (or £27 with the early bird discount) ensures that it is accessible to a lot of people. Now, picture this — some of that money made from NFT sales is reinvested into the African gaming ecosystem. These initiatives could include everything from scholarships and mentorship programs to game development and technology workshops.

Remember the emotional trigger of Empowerment? This is how we tap into it.

Date Everything! Yet, it’s equally a reminder that everything is impossible. The burden is on we, the older generations, to be creative and open-minded enough to pursue these new solutions and technologies. Let’s work together to launch the next generation of African game developers who can produce games that are not only entertaining, but culturally enriching, economically empowering, and truly original.

So, what are you waiting for? Let's build something amazing.