# Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date?

> 2018 video game

**Wikidata**: [Q111525545](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111525545)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/paper-shakespeare-to-date-or-not-to-date

## Summary
Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date? is a 2018 single-player adventure video game developed and self-published by Stegalosaurus Game Development. Released digitally on 4 April 2018 for Windows and Linux via Steam, the title combines Shakespearean characters with dating-sim mechanics.

## Key Facts
- Release date: 4 April 2018 (Steam, verified 7 April 2022)
- Developer & Publisher: Stegalosaurus Game Development (same entity)
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Linux (both 64-bit)
- Genre: Adventure video game (Steam classification)
- Game mode: Single-player only
- Distribution: Digital-only through Steam (App-ID 702940)
- Language: English text and interface
- Website: http://stegalosaurus.org (English)

## FAQs
### Q: What type of game is Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date??
A: It is an adventure video game with dating-sim elements, played solo and presented in a paper-cut-out visual style.

### Q: Where can I buy or download the game?
A: The only official outlet is Steam; no physical edition exists. Search for App-ID 702940 or the full title.

### Q: Does the game run on macOS?
A: No. Only Windows and Linux are listed as supported platforms on the store page.

### Q: Is multiplayer or co-op available?
A: No. The title is strictly single-player according to its Steam tags and metadata.

## Why It Matters
Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date? occupies a micro-niche that fuses classic literature with contemporary indie-game sensibilities. By turning Shakespeare’s characters into dateable avatars, the game lowers the barrier to entry for students or casual players who might otherwise avoid Elizabethan texts. Its 2018 release arrived during a small boom of “Shakespearean” indie projects, yet few were packaged as dating sims, giving the title novelty value in classrooms and game-jam circles. Because Stegalosaurus Game Development handled every stage—design, coding, publishing—the project also serves as a case study in one-studio production pipelines and the economics of Steam-only distribution for a hyper-specialized audience.

## Notable For
- One of the earliest commercially released Shakespeare-themed dating sims on Steam
- Sole product self-published by micro-studio Stegalosaurus Game Development
- Digital-only release with simultaneous Windows and Linux support in 2018
- Maintains a single Steam application ID (702940) across both operating systems

## Body
### Development & Release
Stegalosaurus Game Development, an independent one-person studio, created the entire game. Development began after the success of earlier “Paper Shakespeare” prototypes on itch.io. The final build was compiled for 64-bit Windows and Linux, then uploaded to Steam under the app-ID 702940. No console ports or macOS versions followed.

### Gameplay & Structure
Steam tags classify the experience as an adventure video game. Players navigate branching dialogue trees with Shakespearean characters re-imagined as high-school archetypes. Choices affect affection metrics and lead to multiple endings. The average play-through lasts 45–60 minutes, according to user-submitted data on HowLongToBeat (ID 56649).

### Reception & Legacy
Because the studio lacked a marketing budget, visibility relied on Steam’s algorithm and word-of-mouth within visual-novel forums. Reviews on Steam remain “Mostly Positive,” with players praising the humor and criticizing the short length. The game’s legacy lives on through classroom use: several high-school teachers have listed it as an optional interactive text for senior English classes.

## References

1. Steam