On September 25, 1952 down in North Corbin, Kentucky, the first KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) opened its doors. It specialized in southern fried chicken with 11 spices and herbs, and is considered the second largest fast food chain in the world. It’s so popular that a 1974 holiday marketing campaign said ‘Have KFC for the holidays’, it became the national Holiday dinner in Japan. Why talk about a fast food joint and its history here? Because KFC did something literally no one thought it would ever do, and decided to create and publish a game. A cooking game, maybe? Similar to how the 2008 Gordon Ramsey inspired Hell’s Kitchen game was (yes, that was also a thing)? No, KFC decided to team up with developing team Psyop to bring an anime bishounen style dating sim known as I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator.
Shot and presented just like a Japanese Anime opening. And yes, this is real.
In I Love You, Colonel Sanders! The player takes on the role of a promising culinary arts student who’s in the same class as a young Colonel Sanders. The goal of the game is to find love with one of the 9 romanceable options, including the Colonel himself. And a Professor who is a dog, naturally. While attempting to romance whichever of your classmates or peers, you need to pass through culinary school as well, with the possibility of Colonel Sanders taking you on a business partner.
The features of this game including the 9 romanceable characters (including Colonel), a secret ending, multiple hours of gameplay, cooking battles, battle battles (so there’s more than just a visual novel here possibly?), and the fact that this is really made by KFC.
The game popped up out of nowhere on Steam stating that the release date would be coming soon according to both the listing and the trailer for it. Except the date that it states seems specific. Specific because North London, Kentucky had started up in 1989 hosting a World Chicken Festival, to celebrate the original restaurant that the now known Colonel Sanders face and food had gotten its start. And the release date for I Love You, Colonel Sanders! Is a few days before the 2019 World Chicken Festival.
I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator will be available on September 24 (two days before the World Chicken Festival). For more information, check out the Steam listing, or follow the new KFC Gaming Twitter (yes, they made one), to keep up with any dating sim news.