if you stay is a free PC-98 inspired visual novel set in winter 1999. You play Fumiko, a former Student Council President in a small town who has been outed by her closest friend, wrecking her home life, her friendships and her career plans. She has a one-way train ticket to Tokyo. Her girlfriend Mika calls and asks to see her one more time before she leaves, and the game is that last date.

Steam 250 weekly chart: #20 on the Top 50 Games of the Past Week, up +4 places, scored 7.52 from 93 reviews at 97% positive, released 21 October 2026. Chart position via Steam 250.

Key features

A PC-98 aesthetic that fits the period

The PC-98 look has become a shorthand for retro horror on Steam, but here it is doing straightforward period work: a game set in 1999 Japan rendered in the palette of a 1990s Japanese home computer. The style carries the setting without the game having to describe it.

One scene instead of a branching epic

The whole game is a single date with a stated deadline. Collapsing a visual novel to one evening means every choice is weighted — there is no later chapter to correct a wrong turn — which is why short VNs often land harder than long ones.

Consequences with no reset

The developer is explicit that whatever you do, there will always be consequences. Removing the promise of a clean route is the design argument: the game is about a decision that is already partly made, not about optimising a romance.

Where to find it

if you stay is free on Steam, developed and published by YukimiSoft. English only. The developer notes the game contains cursing and references, not shown, to violence, domestic abuse and homophobia.

Frequently asked questions

Is if you stay free?

Yes. It is a free-to-play visual novel on Steam with no listed in-app purchases.

How long is if you stay?

It covers a single date on one evening in winter 1999, so it is a short visual novel intended to be finished in one sitting.

What is if you stay about?

You play Fumiko, who has been outed by a friend and plans to leave her hometown for Tokyo. Her girlfriend Mika asks to meet one last time, and you decide whether they stay together.

Does if you stay have multiple endings?

The developer states that your decisions determine whether you stay together and that there will always be consequences, indicating more than one outcome.

Who made if you stay?

YukimiSoft developed and self-published it. It released on Steam on 21 October 2026.