The end of ILLUSION
Added 2023-07-14 11:16:06 +0000 UTCEDIT: So apparently this was just a really bizarre rebranding(?), and they will continue making games under the ILLGAMES brand, starting with a KK-styled HoneySelect game (more info and mirror of trial on the discord server). Old games are still being pulled off the stores though.
--- Original message below ---
As some of you may already know, ILLUSION has sadly announced that they are closing down, starting today.
No new games or updates to existing games will be made, and on 2023/08/18 all of their existing games will be pulled off of Steam, DLsite and other stores. This means it will become impossible to get games made by ILLUSION legally after that point unless you buy a used disc. If you want to own KK and/or HS2 on Steam, make sure to buy it before that point!
It's unclear if VRKanojo and similar offshoots will be affected, but I'd buy it sooner rather than later if you were already thinking about it.
Closure roadmap on their official website
If you'd like to discuss this and get up to date information, hop on the KK and/or IS discord servers. These servers are unaffiliated so they will not be affected.
What does this mean for existing users and modders?
In practice, nothing will change for their released games (like KK or HS2). The games will keep working while mods and unofficial patches will continue to be made and maintained.
The only difference for me is that I'll start looking for games from other companies to mod and make patches for instead of waiting for new games from Illusion.
Well, shucks :(
It's truly a sad day today, as they've been one of the oldest and the most consistent 3D eroge makers in history, and they've created many cult classic series like Artificial Girl, Artificial Academy, and many others. They'll now join TeaTime and REAL in the nostalgia land of HongFire and the old internet days :(
I hope that everyone has a good weekend. If anyone from Illusion reads this, please let me thank you for the countless hours of entertainment you've brought to me and many others. I wish you the best in your future endeavours.
Comments
Do you know if I can get out the censure in steam base kk using mod?
Ellen Tavares
2023-12-19 20:32:43 +0000 UTChttps://www.patreon.com/posts/hf-patch-for-rg-76844340
ManlyMarco
2023-08-23 15:43:29 +0000 UTCJust popping in to express my wish for Room Girl Paradise to get modded. Thanks for all you do!
vladeemer
2023-08-21 00:46:28 +0000 UTCguess you get to do what you do xD Looking forward to your new stuff soon
asd asdas
2023-08-19 07:28:07 +0000 UTCI don't think so. We don't really know what happen to Illusion internally, people suspect it's debt or what sort. Illusion is officially no more, which is why all products are being pulled. Illgames is a totally "new" branding that has nothing to do with illusion don't think they can legally just sell the old products officially unless illusion was actually absorb by Illgames which is not what happened
asd asdas
2023-08-19 07:25:50 +0000 UTCDamn no wonder. Now its up to making creations by myself..
OriUni
2023-08-09 06:23:24 +0000 UTCi think th new game , a honey select 3 ++ , they need a lot money , and with this stunt , they will basically make illusion hoard a lot of money for illgame to use.
MpMan
2023-08-05 21:27:33 +0000 UTCI'm starting to get the impression that "Illusion" really sucks at communicating with their audiences.
Ozzy Puzzles
2023-08-04 16:59:17 +0000 UTCIf this was a separate company then they wouldn't be able to use assets from KK and HS2, and the trial definitely has some. Like I said it's just bizarre.
ManlyMarco
2023-08-04 16:57:07 +0000 UTCI think Illusion and Illgames are two separate companies. The person(s) with assess with Illusion's "@Projecti18" Twitter is involved with Illgames though, so I would say that it's safe to assume that Illgames is a spiritual successor to Illusion, but the key word here is "spiritual". I don't believe that Illusion's catalogue of games have been transferred to Illgames, so I think that the old Illusion games will still cease to be sold.
idrisz19
2023-08-04 16:21:50 +0000 UTCSo, wait, was this all a marketing stunt? Also they're still taking their "old games" off the store? Do they mean games that are actually old, or every game that was under the Illusion brand.
Ozzy Puzzles
2023-08-04 14:31:04 +0000 UTCThat’s good to hear is just a rebranding
Frostfx23
2023-08-04 14:21:18 +0000 UTCWell shucks!!!! (To the rebranding)
Diakai
2023-08-04 13:05:10 +0000 UTCLame. I just dropped over $500 buying their library. All their games will likely be back after they rebrand all of them too. Super lame... Huzzah!
Eric J
2023-08-04 12:23:15 +0000 UTCGood thing I backed the patch up then. Phew!
Chloe Saunders
2023-08-04 11:51:17 +0000 UTCOh well, I still bought the remaking games before they get pulled either way
Dr.Sheperd#0004
2023-08-04 11:31:11 +0000 UTCThey seem to have started a new game maker called ILLGAMES.
kn ny
2023-08-04 06:19:47 +0000 UTCNo I meant like your own original IP that is IN Functionality Similar to Koikatsu but instead maybe using Vroid Models
Joshua Bautch
2023-08-03 18:49:40 +0000 UTCI don't think this is said enough but thanks for all your work, Marco. Sad news indeed.
Clutch
2023-08-03 11:49:42 +0000 UTCDepends, Steam versions are cheaper once you include DLCs. KK darkness doesn't work on the steam version but most people don't even want it. After you install HF Patch then the content is pretty much the same otherwise in all of the games. DLsite versions are only in Japanese while Steam versions are in Japanese, English and Chinese. HF Patch adds English to the JP-only releases.
ManlyMarco
2023-08-03 10:58:22 +0000 UTCThe parent company still owns the IP and does not seem interested in selling it so it's still copyright protected.
ManlyMarco
2023-08-03 10:56:11 +0000 UTCYeah, it's a real shame. As unlikely as it was, now we definitely won't get AG4 or AA3. I'm not going to give up so no worries.
ManlyMarco
2023-08-03 10:52:47 +0000 UTCCards servers are being brought down since Illusion is closing down.
ManlyMarco
2023-08-03 10:50:21 +0000 UTCThe steam version has both the base game and the DLC included.
ManlyMarco
2023-08-03 10:49:38 +0000 UTCHolding on from buying HS2 cause in Steam there is HS2LibidoDX and in DLSite it says that the HS2LibidoDX is a DLC so Steam sells only the dlc? So waiting if anyone can clarify me that.... at least before the 18.
$@uron
2023-08-02 11:55:07 +0000 UTCYour suggestion presumably requires a game engine with VRM support, so I suggested Godot.
idrisz19
2023-08-01 22:09:17 +0000 UTCwhat does that have to do with my suggestion?
Joshua Bautch
2023-08-01 20:59:55 +0000 UTCBut is there's a difference between the steam and the DL Site version like cut content? And I mean if the game is translated to English in DL site. And thanks for the suggestion of the VPN.
$@uron
2023-08-01 19:53:40 +0000 UTCIs the download section of the game down as well? it wont load any characters for me
Frozen Saiyajin
2023-08-01 19:06:41 +0000 UTCConcerning Vroid models, the V-Sekai team is currently working on adding VRM 1.0 support to Godot via a plug-in.
idrisz19
2023-08-01 15:27:49 +0000 UTCReal sad news really. Grew up playing their games like Biko and even the infamous Ra*eLay which was actually one of my favorite game by them. Guess good things never last forever. Though I must say.. their quality has been dropping for many years now despite tech improved. Probably because the older staffs were already no longer with the company. P.S don't stop Marco the ero game community needs you 😂
asd asdas
2023-08-01 14:36:58 +0000 UTCor hell, why not make a love letter or memorial to Illusion Soft by pulling together a team to make your OWN version of Koikatsu? (and maybe one that uses Vroid models)
Joshua Bautch
2023-08-01 02:01:58 +0000 UTCThank u just used the hf patch. I thought that was the case with the site as the company is winding down
emptysteve
2023-07-31 21:38:54 +0000 UTCIf u use DL site u need to use a VPN as ur country may block u accessing the site and PayPal to buy the games. As I just brought sunshine. When I used internet explorer it translated the site to English for me.
emptysteve
2023-07-31 21:37:50 +0000 UTCWhich version is better the steam or the dl site one... and is the DL site version in English?
$@uron
2023-07-31 17:12:55 +0000 UTCI'm not going to leave. The problem with maids is that the community is pretty entrenched and it's all paid DLC so there's not much space for a patch that avoids including paid stuff.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-31 15:38:38 +0000 UTCYes, it's included. Official illusion site is down and will probably not come back up since they are closing down.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-31 15:37:08 +0000 UTCDo not use winrar. Pretty much any other modern file archiver should work, I recommend 7zip. If you have bin files then you can't extract them, use the .exe file included with the bin files to install the patch.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-31 15:32:25 +0000 UTCThe HF Patch files all say damaged or unreadable when trying to read them through winrar.
Nathanael L Golser
2023-07-31 12:13:35 +0000 UTCjust bought kk party from steam and cant access the special patch from illusion site as it says internal error. does the hf patch include? sorry im new to this
emptysteve
2023-07-29 13:40:04 +0000 UTCCould you switch support to Custom order maid 3d 2 if you are going to leave koikatsu behind because of this? They still release dlc to this day.
El Chunko
2023-07-28 12:08:34 +0000 UTCSee https://docs.bepinex.dev/articles/advanced/proton_wine.html
ManlyMarco
2023-07-26 08:19:16 +0000 UTCHoneySelect2 recently was verified as playable on steamdeck. Will the patch be able to run on steamdeck too?
J Willson
2023-07-26 03:17:31 +0000 UTCYou can still use the DLC but you must install HF Patch afterwards or it won't work properly with the Steam version of the game. If you have the DLC on Steam then it will work fine without the patch.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-24 11:45:39 +0000 UTCSo if i bought koikatsu on steam and buy the after party dlc on DLsite would there be a problem with installation?
Astro
2023-07-21 22:16:17 +0000 UTCHAD to be August. >.> this news Sucks hard.
Joseph Page'
2023-07-21 03:41:17 +0000 UTCIf you use HF Patch you don't have to do anything with locale.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-18 16:23:43 +0000 UTCNever bought a game on DLsite before, anyone know if you can run KKS without converting your PC over to Japanese? Or is that just a warning they put on everything from their site in case there isnt an english version?
Sabre Mushy
2023-07-18 14:21:44 +0000 UTCIf you feel like a *serious* challenge - bring Illusion Style Game and Story Mechanics to Virt-a-Mate. 😹
Jonathon Barton
2023-07-17 22:27:15 +0000 UTCYou can't really buy the DLC if you have the Fakku version unfortunately. If you got lucky and cosmic rays flipped a lot of bits on your drive in the shape of the DLC, you might have been able to copy it into the game and make it work though.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-17 18:23:09 +0000 UTCi'm with Sndragon. i was really waiting to see where illusion, as well as the rest of the community would go with this. i've seen quite a few different styles/types games created with illusion as the base platform. i was really hoping to to see more genre specific games as well. or something with koikatsu's control/mechanics and hs&ai shoujo graphics
Zachariah McElrath
2023-07-17 10:23:14 +0000 UTCSo, while back I picked up "Koikatsu Party" on Fakku!. Fakku! never released the "After Party" DLC. Could I pick it up the "After Party" DLC on Steam, and use it with the Fakku! version of Koikatsu, or would that DLC only work with the Steam version of the game?
Nobody
2023-07-17 00:28:59 +0000 UTCI already have Party not Sunshine. a %18 coupon can make Sunshine with all the stuff $93 to $76.
Michaelous
2023-07-16 17:27:52 +0000 UTCIf you want to play it as a game or for H (especially in VR) and you have to pick one, go for KKS. Both are mostly equivalent but KKS has better performance at the cost of cards/scenes not being loadable in KK.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-16 08:03:21 +0000 UTCYes but getting it on steam is cheaper.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-16 08:00:54 +0000 UTCI see Koikatsu Sunshine complete set on DL would this be good?
Michaelous
2023-07-16 04:03:49 +0000 UTCThank you, went through the trouble of getting Sunshine on FANZA, but DLsite looks like it'll be an easier alternative to get the Sunshine expansion on my next paycheck.
Commander Cream
2023-07-16 01:37:22 +0000 UTCSunshine is better in my personal opinion
Johnny Hwipp
2023-07-16 00:20:00 +0000 UTCAwesome! Good to know about copying the installed file!
Diakai
2023-07-15 19:22:20 +0000 UTCIf i were to choose between sunshine and regular koikatsu which one would you recommend?
John Tejada
2023-07-15 14:41:56 +0000 UTCA truly sad day we wont forget! If you're looking for something new, maybe you can get involved in Projekt Melody's Big Bang Studio game engine.
KuromaruFan
2023-07-15 09:23:49 +0000 UTCIf you own the game on Steam you will be able to download it just fine, no need to also get it on DLsite. You can also just copy the installed game somewhere safe if you want to keep a backup too.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-15 08:05:13 +0000 UTCAlmost definitely it's not coming.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-15 08:04:30 +0000 UTCYes, if you own the game on Steam or DLsite you will be able to download it just fine. Not sure about DMM but it should be the same. You can just copy the installed game somewhere safe if you want to keep a backup too.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-15 08:04:20 +0000 UTCI saw the news on Steam... 😔 So if I have a couple of these on Steam, should I go to to https://dlsoft.dmm.co.jp/ and buy them there too to save the install files? Looks like they have them on 10% sale there right now too.
Diakai
2023-07-15 05:10:52 +0000 UTCDoes that mean that Koikatsu Sunshine isn't coming to Steam on August 27th?
LateGamer547
2023-07-15 02:29:15 +0000 UTCSo that im clear, if I were to uninstall kk because something went wrong with a update try to reinstall I will be fine right?
Bri
2023-07-15 01:29:34 +0000 UTCA darkest day indeed. But this is the reason why I picked up everything from them on DLsite today and Discovered you in github.
Qian Yifan
2023-07-14 22:48:59 +0000 UTCWouldn´t it be great if the World turned always around you ? LOL, but sorry, it doesn´t !!! The fact an original game with dicks and pussies, being sold at original price, coming vanilla with censorship is not WOKENESS at all, oh no it isn´t, tell you what, it is a glitch, dam Devs, a sad coincidence
Fonseca
2023-07-14 22:28:14 +0000 UTCOmg save this shit for reddit. Woke is by far the most boring, lazy and uncritical critique of society.
Morepork
2023-07-14 22:09:26 +0000 UTCKK, HS2, AIS, KKS out of the recent ones.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-14 20:49:46 +0000 UTCGet it on DLsite, which is fairly friendly to international audience and supports PayPal and such. If it's not available on there then don't bother, they went out of their way to make it difficult to buy their games outside of Japan.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-14 20:48:26 +0000 UTCUnfortunately, I can't. The money is needed for other things.
Chloe Saunders
2023-07-14 20:27:56 +0000 UTCIt's still available on dmm for now. You have about a month to buy what you need.
kiterunnerdio
2023-07-14 20:24:28 +0000 UTCGodd*mn it. Here I thought that with the advent of AI, their next step of evolution would be AI + VR Koikatsu. Which company should I place my hope in now T-T ?
Sndragon
2023-07-14 20:18:59 +0000 UTCThat's really sad :(
Pyroman31FF
2023-07-14 20:10:48 +0000 UTCGuess it's fitting that one of their last games was tropical themed, because while their fans were enjoying the bikini beach setting; there was trouble in paradise.
Ozzy Puzzles
2023-07-14 19:46:26 +0000 UTCI guess, but I'll need to find it first. I can't buy it now.
Chloe Saunders
2023-07-14 19:29:21 +0000 UTCAs an American I need a guide to pick up their titles because I'm not familiar with how they handle dl of their past games.
Sir Valentine
2023-07-14 19:19:08 +0000 UTCThat's a shame. I kept putting it off, but I should probably pick up some of those expansions while I still can.
TheProfessorsLeft
2023-07-14 18:45:41 +0000 UTCWell shit witch of there games do you recommend I grab before they take them off?
Ruben
2023-07-14 16:44:41 +0000 UTCYou can still play the JP version, it's almost fully fan translated.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-14 16:27:57 +0000 UTCLife and horniness always finds a way.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-14 16:25:19 +0000 UTCDefinitely Miconisomi games, especially the upcoming one. If anyone knows of similar games please let me know.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-14 16:24:38 +0000 UTCSad news indeed. I started Koikatsu a little over a year ago and I gotta say I love it. Shame others won't be able to enjoy it soon if they don't have it
StoicThinker
2023-07-14 15:59:10 +0000 UTCWell my hopes of an Artificial Academy 3 type game with Koikatsu character creation system is over I guess. Any idea on what games you might want to work on?
RaijinRonin
2023-07-14 14:09:28 +0000 UTCYeah I highly doubt the reason why the game company based in the country that's more accepting of sexual content in media shutted down because of "woke society". You're thinking of groups like Christians or loud women groups who are strongly against porn and the sexualization of women, but even then I highly doubt that's why they shutted down (let alone cause of a buzzword) considering they've been dealing with those critics for decades.
Ozzy Puzzles
2023-07-14 13:57:13 +0000 UTCYes.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-14 13:35:29 +0000 UTCWill you still update and maintain the HF packs for illusion games?
Jovanie Rodriguez
2023-07-14 13:33:19 +0000 UTCThanks for reply, Marco. I'm a TC speaker and I'd say the KKP official TC localization is amazing. Too bad the time had come for Illusion to take leave of us...
Reinstenberg
2023-07-14 13:32:05 +0000 UTCThey're closing down? Noooooooo! I was looking forward to Koikatsu Sunshine!
Chloe Saunders
2023-07-14 13:14:32 +0000 UTCYes, it's tied to your account.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-14 13:12:04 +0000 UTCWhat if I switch computers? Will I still be able to re-download it?
Maxamilian Meeker
2023-07-14 13:08:33 +0000 UTCDoesn't look like it will happen. Fan translation is getting close to complete though.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-14 12:50:54 +0000 UTCHow could this happen? I'm still waiting for KKS to be localized!
Reinstenberg
2023-07-14 12:37:11 +0000 UTCSo both Koikatsu and Koikatsu sunshine?
setsuna200
2023-07-14 12:35:08 +0000 UTCEntire publisher shutdown. Not just steam but everywhere
AnimeArtStalker
2023-07-14 12:14:58 +0000 UTCNvm just bought Koikatsu anyway lol. Not risking it
AnimeArtStalker
2023-07-14 12:11:58 +0000 UTCThat really sucks, i was hoping to buy HS2 soon but not this soon, why are they removing the games from steam?
Cjhappy
2023-07-14 12:06:14 +0000 UTCI doubt this was the cause, they most likely got into financial trouble after multiple underperforming game releases. Mods won't be affected by this, don't worry.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-14 12:03:01 +0000 UTCYes, you keep access to any game you bought on Steam even if the developer pulls it down.
ManlyMarco
2023-07-14 12:01:27 +0000 UTCWell shit glad I grabbed Honey Select DX 2 while I did. According to their Steam announcement I'll still be able to play it. May grab Koikatsu before the 18th but I can't drop $100 on it at the moment.
AnimeArtStalker
2023-07-14 11:59:48 +0000 UTCThey say so on the Steam announcement.
AnimeArtStalker
2023-07-14 11:58:51 +0000 UTCThe problem with woke society, I hope you keep your HS2L Mods available cause Im buying a new PX a need to intall agsin, cheers and kerp up the goid work
Fonseca
2023-07-14 11:36:12 +0000 UTCWill the people who own KK on Steam still be able to play or even access it?
Maxamilian Meeker
2023-07-14 11:29:41 +0000 UTCRIP
TheYuriLover
2023-07-14 11:20:31 +0000 UTCIt was an amazing journey
IZSM
2023-07-14 11:20:05 +0000 UTCI saw that new too,it is really sad😭
LosLos_Sensei
2023-07-14 11:18:26 +0000 UTCSaw the steam message really sucks that the can’t continue making games
lyr
2023-07-14 11:17:35 +0000 UTC
