JianHao Tan, creator of one of Singapore’s largest YouTube channels, has come under fire following the release of his new dating simulator game.
Known for his humorous school-themed videos on ‘Titan Academy’, Tan announced the beta release of ‘Island of Hearts’ in October 2025.
The live-action interactive game, developed by his company Titan Digital Media and published by 4Divinity, features notable influencers, including his wife Debbie Soon and former OnlyFans creator Siew Pui Yi, better known as MsPuiYi.
Source: Island of Hearts
It blends “romance, mystery, and choice featuring huge Asian creators” and marks Tan’s entry into the gaming sector.
However, the game has faced significant criticism, mainly due to its content and Tan’s largely youthful fanbase.
The backlash intensified after influencer Dewy Choo posted a video of her playthrough on 15 Jan. Netizens expressed concerns about the game’s suitability for Tan’s young audience and the involvement of his wife in such a project.
Source: Dewy Choo on YouTube
TikTok user @cavanhwx questioned how Tan’s career had shifted from producing family-friendly content to adult-themed material.
While acknowledging the effort behind the game, he criticised Tan for creating content that might be inappropriate for his core audience of children and teenagers.
On the other hand, some creators like Kevin Wee, also known as @radical_kindness on TikTok, offered a more nuanced perspective.
He suggested that Tan’s move into the gaming industry could be driven by Titan Media’s growth and its expanding partnerships with significant stakeholders.
Wee noted that with backing from GCL Holdings, Titan Media has access to “massive expansion opportunities” but also faces pressure from powerful stakeholders.
Reflecting on Tan’s press conference during GCL’s NASDAQ listing, Wee noted that Tan had described gaming as a “natural expansion” for Titan Media, given the company’s strong ties to the gaming industry’s major advertisers.
This led Wee to question how much agency Tan and Titan Media had in the creation of the game.
Source: @thejianhaotan on Instagram
While praising Tan’s work ethic and character, Wee acknowledged the complexities of moral responsibility, especially given Tan’s younger audience, and stated that the YouTuber likely “100% predicted” the backlash.
Source: @thejianhaotan on Instagram
In response to these concerns, Tan explained in a comment on Wee’s post that ‘Island of Hearts’ was designed for fans of full-motion video (FMV) romance simulators, not children.
He noted that the game, developed by six to seven companies, shouldn’t be labeled solely as a “JianHao game”, as this undermines the collective effort.
Source: TikTok
Tan also stressed that the game would not be promoted on his main channel, where his ‘Titan Academy’ audience resides.
To purchase ‘Island of Hearts’, users must view the age restrictions on Steam and complete the purchase with a credit card, an action only adults can do.
“If anyone’s child can do that, the parents have bigger things to worry about,” he quipped.
Tan further clarified that ‘Island of Hearts’ is not a porn game, pointing out that more extreme content is readily available on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
He concluded by praising the game’s storyline, saying its theme centres around “making choices and how every choice you make may impact your potential ending”.
Not everyone was satisfied. TikTok user @iampoopy228 called Tan’s response flawed, noting that he had promoted the game on his Instagram account while tagging Titan Digital Media.
Some featured talents, including Tan’s wife, have also appeared on his main YouTube channel, meaning fans who follow them might be exposed to the game as well.
Source: @thejianhaotan on Instagram
While acknowledging Tan’s right to evolve his content, the user argued that Tan’s work over the years has “generally been targeted at children”, who may play the game to “support” their favourite talents.
He also questioned the age-restriction system, noting it can be bypassed easily and that Steam gift cards are readily available in stores like 7-Eleven, allowing anyone to purchase the game.
Source: @iampoopy228 on TikTok
In response to Tan’s defence that ‘Island of Hearts’ is “not a porn game”, the user criticised the trailer, saying: “All you need to do is look at the first 12 seconds.”
Source: 4Divinity on YouTube
He also challenged Tan’s claim that more extreme content is available on social media: “Does that mean you can put out bad content just because there’s even worse content out there?”
The user concluded by calling Tan “the face of content creation in Singapore” and urging him to “take some responsibility or accountability instead of blaming the parents or the audience themselves”.
In response to MS News, 4Divinity and Titan Digital Media acknowledged the concerns and confirmed they are working with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to obtain age ratings in Singapore.
The game has already been rated 14+ in Brazil and 16+ in Germany.
They noted that while the game contains “adult themes” and features characters dressed in ways that may be considered “inappropriate for children”, it contains no explicit sexual acts or full nudity.
Source: 4Divinity on YouTube
“We fully rely on game rating authorities to inform the potential buyers and players of our game,” they said. “We do not market this game to an audience outside of the target age group, which is 16 and above.”
Addressing concerns about the suggestive content, 4Divinity added: “‘Island of Hearts’ is not intended for children, and it hasn’t and will not be marketed to them. The game is rated for a 16+ audience, and its themes, storytelling, and choices are designed for a more mature demographic. We take age-appropriate content seriously and want to ensure players engage responsibly.”
They clarified that the production included “a number of key creative directions which weren’t decided by Jianhao nor Titan Digital Media”, and that the game “isn’t adjacent content to ‘Titan Academy'”.
4Divinity added that it takes “full responsibility for the development of the story, the script, the cast, and the wardrobe”.
Also read: Jianhao Tan feels ‘defeated’ by hate messages from IShowSpeed fans over failed S’pore stream
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Featured images adapted from @thejianhaotan on Instagram and @islandofhearts on Instagram.