View source for Ren'Py

{{short description|Game engine for the creation of visual novels}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Ren'Py Visual Novel Engine
| logo = Ren’Py Logo 6-13-6 200x307px.png
| logo size = 100px
| logo caption = Ren'Py's mascot, Eileen, surrounded by a [[Pythonidae|python]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Art Card Information|url=https://www.renpy.org/artcard.html|access-date=2021-07-06|website=www.renpy.org}}</ref>
| screenshot = Wikipe-tan visual novel (Ren'Py).png
| screenshot size = 240px
| caption = An example of a Ren'Py-created scene
| author = Tom "PyTom" Rothamel
| developer = Tom "PyTom" Rothamel<ref name="animefringe_interview">{{cite magazine |last=Lin |first=Maria |title=Returning the Love: Three Fans Taking the Next Step |url=http://www.animefringe.com/magazine/2005/12/special/05.php |magazine=Animefringe |access-date=4 May 2019 |date=December 2005 |issn=1705-3692}}</ref>
| released = {{Start date and age|2004|08|24}}
| latest release version = 8.3.7
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2025|3|17}}
| programming language = [[Python (programming language)|Python]], [[Cython]]
| middleware = {{unbulleted list|[[Pygame]] {{small|([[GNU Lesser General Public License|LGPL]])}}|[[Simple DirectMedia Layer|SDL]] {{small|([[zlib License|zlib]])}}|[[FreeType]] {{small|(FTL)}}}}
| operating system = [[Windows]], [[macOS]], [[Linux]], [[FreeBSD]], [[OpenBSD]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[iOS]]
| size = 115 MB
| language = English for the engine – [[UTF-8]] use for resulting programs
| genre = [[Game engine]] ([[visual novel]])
| license = [[MIT License|MIT]]<ref name="license">{{cite web |url=https://renpy.org/doc/html/license.html |title=License |website=Ren'Py |access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref>
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}

The '''Ren'Py Visual Novel Engine''' (or '''RenPy''' for short) is a [[free software]] [[game engine]] which facilitates the creation of [[visual novel]]s. Ren'Py is a [[portmanteau]] of {{nihongo|''ren'ai''|恋愛}}, the Japanese word for 'romantic love', a common element of games made using Ren'Py; and [[Python (programming language)|Python]], the programming language that Ren'Py runs on.

== Features ==
Ren'Py includes the ability to create [[Nonlinear gameplay|branching stories]], save file systems, rollback to previous points in the story, a variety of scene transitions, [[Downloadable content|DLC]], and so on. The engine also allows for movie playback for both full-screen movies and animated [[Sprite (computer graphics)|sprites]], in-engine animation (using the built in "Animation and Translation Language", or ATL), and full animation and customization of UI elements via "Screen Language". Ren'Py scripts have a [[screenplay]]-like syntax, and can also include blocks of Python code to allow advanced users to add new features of their own. In addition, tools are included in the engine distribution to [[Obfuscation|obfuscate]] scripts and archive game assets to mitigate [[copyright infringement]].<ref name="rp_homepage">{{cite web |url=http://www.renpy.org |title=The Ren'Py Visual Novel Engine |work=Ren'Py |access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref><ref name="rp_tutorial">{{cite web |url=https://www.renpy.org/dl/4.1/tutorial.html |title=Writing Visual Novels with Ren'Py: The Ren'Py Tutorial |work=Ren'Py |access-date=5 Oct 2019}}</ref><ref name="rp_build">{{cite web |url=https://www.renpy.org/doc/html/build.html |title=Building Distributions |work=Ren'Py |access-date=5 Oct 2019}}</ref><ref name="rp_why">{{cite web |url=https://www.renpy.org/why.html |title=Why Ren'Py? |work=Ren'Py |access-date=5 Oct 2019}}</ref>

Ren'Py is built on [[pygame]], which is built with [[Python (programming language)|Python]] on [[Simple DirectMedia Layer|SDL]]. The Ren'Py [[Software development kit|SDK]] is officially supported on [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], recent versions of [[macOS]], and [[Linux]]; and can be installed via the [[package manager]]s of the [[Arch Linux]], [[Ubuntu]], [[Debian]], and [[Gentoo Linux|Gentoo]] (in experimental overlay<ref>{{cite web |url=https://renpy.org/wiki/renpy/Gentoo_Linux |title=Installing Ren'Py on Gentoo Linux}}</ref>) Linux distributions. Ren'Py can build games for Windows, macOS, Linux, [[Android (operating system)|Android]],<ref name="rp_homepage" /> [[OpenBSD]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ports.su/games/renpy |title=games/renpy |website=[[OpenBSD Ports]] at ports.su |access-date=5 Oct 2019}}</ref> [[iOS]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://renpy.org/release/6.99 |title=Ren'Py 6.99 |website=Ren'Py |access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref><ref name="rp_homepage" /> and [[HTML5]] with [[WebAssembly]].<ref name="rp_homepage" />

== Reception ==
Ren'Py has been recommended as a video game creation engine by several outlets, including Indie Games Plus, MakeUseOf, ''[[PC Gamer]]'', and ''[[The Guardian]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://indiegamesplus.com/2012/05/indie_tools_renpy |title=Indie Tools: Ren'Py |last=D. |first=Konstantinos |date=8 May 2012 |website=Indie Games Plus |access-date=4 May 2019 |archive-date=5 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505053030/https://indiegamesplus.com/2012/05/indie_tools_renpy |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/learn-make-visual-novels-renpy-play-one/ |title=Learn To Make Your Own Visual Novels With Ren'Py, Or Play One Of These |last=Wiesehan |first=Robert |date=7 July 2014 |website=MakeUseOf |access-date=4 May 2019 |archive-date=9 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140709064836/https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/learn-make-visual-novels-renpy-play-one/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="pcgamer">{{cite web |last1=Vincent |first1=Brittany |title=The best engines for making your own visual novel |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/the-best-visual-novel-engines/ |website=[[PC Gamer]] |access-date=18 August 2023 |language=en |date=2 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/20/how-to-get-into-the-games-industry-an-insiders-guide |title=How to get into the games industry – an insiders' guide |last=Stuart |first=Keith |date=20 March 2014 |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref> It has been used in classes at [[Carnegie Mellon School of Art]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mycours.es/gamedesign2012/ |title=Experimental Game Design |website=mycours.es |access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref> Faculty of Art at [[Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman|University Tunku Abdul Rahman]], [[Kampar, Perak]], [[Malaysia]], and as a tool for [[information literacy]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sullivan |first1=Dean |last2=Critten |first2=Jessica |date=2014-11-01 |title=Adventures in Research Creating a video game textbook for an information literacy course |url=http://crln.acrl.org/content/75/10/570 |journal=College & Research Libraries News |language=en |volume=75 |issue=10 |pages=570–573 |doi=10.5860/crln.75.10.9215 |issn=0099-0086|doi-access=free }}</ref>

== Notable games ==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="width:100%; font-size:90%;" id="softwarelist"
|+ List of notable games created in Ren'Py
! rowspan="2" | Title
! rowspan="2" | Genre(s)
! rowspan="2" | Developer(s)
! rowspan="2" | Publisher(s)
! rowspan="2" | Release date{{efn|Date of first completed public release, regardless of platform or region.}}
! colspan="5" style="width:32%;" | Platform{{efn|Some of these games have been ported to game consoles such as [[Nintendo Switch]], [[PlayStation 4]], and [[Xbox One]], but those ports also involve porting them from Ren'Py to other game engines such as [[Unity (game engine)|Unity]], as Ren'Py is not directly supported on game consoles.}}
|-
! style="width:4%;" | {{abbr|And|Android}}
! style="width:4%;" | iOS
! style="width:4%;" | {{abbr|LX|Linux}}
! style="width:4%;" | {{abbr|Mac|macOS}}
! style="width:4%;" | {{abbr|Win|Windows}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Analogue: A Hate Story]]''
| [[Visual novel]]
| [[Love Conquers All games|Love Conquers All Games]]
| [[Christine Love (writer)|Christine Love]]
| September 22, 2017
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Black Closet]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Strategy RPG]], [[Life simulation]]
| [[Hanako Games]]
| [[Hanako Games]]
| September 16, 2015
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Butterfly Soup]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Romantic comedy]]
| Brianna Lei
| Brianna Lei
| September 16, 2017
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Café 0: The Drowned Mermaid]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Mystery fiction|Mystery]]
| ROSEVERTE
| ROSEVERTE
| October 4, 2011
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Coming Out on Top]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Dating sim]]
| Obscurasoft
| Obscurasoft
| December 10, 2014
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Date Warp]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Science fiction]]
| Spiky Caterpillar, [[Hanako Games]]
| [[Hanako Games]]
| May 22, 2010
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[A Date with Death]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Dating sim]]
| Two and a Half Studios
| Two and a Half Studios
| December 7, 2023
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Digital: A Love Story]]''
| [[Visual novel]]
| [[Love Conquers All games|Love Conquers All Games]]
| [[Christine Love (writer)|Christine Love]]
| February 28, 2010
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Doki Doki Literature Club!]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Dating sim]], [[Horror game|Horror]]
| [[Team Salvato]]
| [[Team Salvato]]
| September 22, 2017
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[don't take it personally, babe, it just ain't your story]]''
| [[Visual novel]]
| [[Love Conquers All games|Love Conquers All Games]]
| [[Christine Love (writer)|Christine Love]]
| April 4, 2011
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Doomed Love]]''
| [[Point-and-click adventure game|Point-and-click]], [[Dating sim]]ulator, [[Visual novel]], [[Fangame]]
| David B. Cooper
| David B. Cooper
| June 11, 2021
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Dysfunctional Systems]]'' series
| [[Visual novel]]
| [[Dischan Media]]
| [[Dischan Media]]
| April 4, 2013
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Exogenesis: Perils of Rebirth]]'' demo
| [[Adventure game]], [[Visual novel]], [[Science fiction|Sci-fi]]
| Kwan
| [[Sekai Project]]
| April 19, 2019
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Fatal Hearts]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Adventure game]], [[Otome game|Otome]]
| [[Hanako Games]]
| [[Hanako Games]]
| October 23, 2007
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Fault Milestone One]]''
| [[Visual novel]]
| [[Alice in Dissonance]]
| [[Sekai Project]]
| August 12, 2013
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Fault Milestone Two]]''
| [[Visual novel]]
| [[Alice in Dissonance]]
| [[Sekai Project]]
| August 16, 2015
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" |''{{sortname|The|Flower Shop}}'' series
| [[Visual novel]]
| [[Winter Wolves]]
| [[Winter Wolves]]
| February 1, 2010
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Heart of the Woods]]''
| [[Visual novel]]
| Studio Élan
| Studio Élan
| February 15, 2019
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Heileen]]'' series
| [[Visual novel]]
| [[Tycoon Games]]
| [[Tycoon Games]]
| October 21, 2008
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Juniper's Knot]]''
| [[Visual novel]]
| [[Dischan Media]]
| [[Dischan Media]]
| April 4, 2013
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Katawa Shoujo]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Visual novel#Nakige and Utsuge|Nakige]]
| [[Four Leaf Studios]]
| [[Four Leaf Studios]]
| January 4, 2012
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Ladykiller in a Bind]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Eroge]], [[Romantic comedy]]
| [[Love Conquers All games|Love Conquers All Games]]
| [[Christine Love (visual novelist)|Christine Love]]
| October 10, 2016
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Long Live the Queen (video game)|Long Live the Queen]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Role-playing video game|RPG]], [[Government simulation game|Political simulation]]
| Spiky Caterpillar, [[Hanako Games]]
| [[Hanako Games]]
| June 2, 2012
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Loren the Amazon Princess]]''
| [[Role-playing video game|RPG]], [[Visual novel]], [[Fantasy]]
| [[Winter Wolves]]
| [[Winter Wolves]]
| April 30, 2012
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Magical Diary]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Fantasy]], [[Otome game|Otome]]
| Spiky Caterpillar, [[Hanako Games]]
| [[Hanako Games]]
| June 19, 2011
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Milk Inside a Bag of Milk Inside a Bag of Milk|Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk]]'' series
| [[Visual novel]]
| Nikita Kryukov
| Missing Calm
| August 26, 2020
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Momotype]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Digital pet]]
| Rimatoad
| Rimatoad
| December 3, 2021
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[One Night Stand (video game)|One Night Stand]]''
| [[Visual novel]]
| Kinmoku
| Kinmoku
| October 20, 2016
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Planet Stronghold]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Role-playing video game|RPG]], [[Science fiction|Sci-fi]]
| [[Winter Wolves]]
| [[Winter Wolves]]
| February 28, 2011
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Raptor Boyfriend]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Dating sim]]
| Rocket Adrift
| Rocket Adrift
| July 15, 2021
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" |''{{sortname|The|Royal Trap}}''
| [[Visual novel]]
| [[Hanako Games]]
| [[Hanako Games]]
| February 23, 2013
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Scarlet Hollow]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Horror game|Horror]]
| Black Tabby Games
| Black Tabby Games
| June 11, 2021
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Slay the Princess]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Horror game|Horror]]
| Black Tabby Games
| Black Tabby Games
| October 23, 2023
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Summer Session]]''
| [[Dating simulation|Dating sim]]
| [[Hanako Games]], [[Tycoon Games]]
| [[Hanako Games]], [[Tycoon Games]]
| July 2, 2008
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Tales of Aravorn: Seasons of the Wolf]]''
| [[Visual novel]], [[Role-playing video game|RPG]], [[Fantasy]]
| [[Winter Wolves]]
| [[Winter Wolves]]
| November 15, 2014
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
! scope="row" |''[[Vera Blanc]]'' series
| [[Visual novel]], [[Mystery fiction|Mystery]]
| [[Winter Wolves]]
| [[Winter Wolves]]
| June 30, 2010
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software|Video games}}
* [[List of visual novel engines]]

== References ==
'''Notes'''
{{notelist}}
'''Citations'''
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Ren'Py}}
* {{Official website}}
* [https://games.renpy.org/ Ren'Py Games List]

{{Video game engines}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Renpy}}
[[Category:2004 software]]
[[Category:Free game engines]]
[[Category:Free software programmed in Python]]
[[Category:Free software that uses SDL]]
[[Category:Python (programming language)-scriptable game engines]]
[[Category:Ren'Py games| ]]
[[Category:Software development kits]]
[[Category:Software using the MIT license]]
[[Category:Video game development software]]
[[Category:Video game development software for Linux]]
[[Category:Video game engines]]
[[Category:Visual novel engines]]