Amare
 |
This article needs expansion with: history of the term. You can help by adding to it. |
Amare is an inclusive genre tag for relationship focused visual novels and interactive fiction games, spanning multiple genres including Otome, BL (Boys' Love), Yuri/WLW (Women Loving Women) and blends of these themes.
While Amare games share a distinct "vibe," they place no restrictions on the gender of the Main Character or Love Interests, embracing diverse romantic narratives. This includes requiring a gender variable main character. This is not a requirement for Amare, and Amare games may have gender-locked main characters.
Amare games are targeted to a wide demographic comprised of adults and young adults who want to read narrative stories exploring relationships and romance as told from a wide range of cultures, conventions and experiences.
What makes an Amare game?
What amare games tend to have in common is that they focus on relationships and romance, with an emphasis on diversity and authentic storytelling.
Key characteristics include:
- Varied Gaze - Games that use this tag are often told with a feminine or neutral gaze, but that isn't a requirement. No specific "gaze" is given pre-eminence over others across the tag but individual games may lean in a single direction.
- Flexible Roles - There are no restrictions on the gender and sexuality of the MC or the love interests. Games display a wide range of relationships from BL, Otome, WLW, and a blend of these genres. Some games may be limited to one experience (such as being purely BL) while others may explore a range of experiences.
- Expansive Relationship - Relationships in Amare games range from romantic, sweet, spicy to purely platonic.
- Diversity in Cast and Creators - Amare games often feature a diverse array of characters and creators, promoting representation across different experiences and identities.
What makes Amare different from other relationship genres?
The Amare tag was created to supplement existing tags like BL, Otome, and WLW, which sometimes have stricter labelling requirements. It hopes to expand beyond the conventional boundaries that define games purely based on the gender and sexuality of the MC or a narrow target audience.
Amare is meant to help bridge gaps left by other genre definitions, as well as create a home for games whose creators don't want to categorise them purely in that way, offering one more avenue for labelling and advertising games.
Amare Games Festival
The Amare Games Festival is an annual celebration of love and diversity in story-focused games. The festival invites creators to develop new games or update existing ones. Submissions can range from new games and demos to chapter updates or added features in existing games. Both free and commercial projects are welcome, provided they are released or updated during the festival period.
The festival has been running since 2022.
