How big of a harem is too big?
- Thread starter Edgedancer
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2 Years of Service
Never is enough, the harem expands as the universe and that needs to be constant. Having said that, it doesn't matter if the game has 3 love characters if u can have them all, but if the game gives you 10 LI and u can only pick one, I would hate that developer even if I like the game.
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3 Years of Service
I think it depends. Is the objective of the game pure and unlimited porn? Then there is no limit really.
If the game wants to develop the girls, I think 7 is a good number. 1 for each day of the week, this way the MC could also realistically give each and every one of these girls the atention they need/deserve.
However, if the dev can manage it well, I think there can be more for sure. Harem Hotel has 8 main girls and 12 side girls. And all 8 main girls are well developed with their own personalities and stories, and the side girls also get a decent amount of development.
The downside to that is, either the dev will take longer to develop a single update exploring all the girls at the same time, or smaller updates with each girl, that will come sooner, but some specific girl you might like more than others can take a while to have their update. It is doable for sure, like I said, Harem Hotel is a pretty good example, and I think Lucky Paradox also juggles all the girls well, and that one is also probably on the 20 girls mark or at least close.
If the game wants to develop the girls, I think 7 is a good number. 1 for each day of the week, this way the MC could also realistically give each and every one of these girls the atention they need/deserve.
However, if the dev can manage it well, I think there can be more for sure. Harem Hotel has 8 main girls and 12 side girls. And all 8 main girls are well developed with their own personalities and stories, and the side girls also get a decent amount of development.
The downside to that is, either the dev will take longer to develop a single update exploring all the girls at the same time, or smaller updates with each girl, that will come sooner, but some specific girl you might like more than others can take a while to have their update. It is doable for sure, like I said, Harem Hotel is a pretty good example, and I think Lucky Paradox also juggles all the girls well, and that one is also probably on the 20 girls mark or at least close.
3 Years of Service
For me I would like limitless
3 Years of Service
not too big that makes some girls vanish for several updates, unless they are obviously not important but if you have only a scene or two with a girl she is not really in the harem, she is more like a one night stand. Problem with harem games is when they delve too greedily and too deep, and you lose focus on what people really care about, the daughters and sisters. 
So I would say 5 is a good number for a down to earth developer
So I would say 5 is a good number for a down to earth developer
2 Years of Service
Agree that Harem hotel does well with this. There is always a demand for something new so hard to balance that with character focus. If I am playing a completed game then it is more acceptable to have a limited number. In an ongoing game always exciting with someone new.
2 Years of Service
When you add people who aren't family members that's too much (yeah i'm a bit too obsessed with incest haha).
2 Years of Service
Based answer, ngl.
4 Years of Service
aren't we all?
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3 Years of Service
when you are spending more time on upkeep and recruitment for the harem instead of actually enjoying the harem
4 Years of Service
It depends a bit...
If you are talking about a loving relationship of equals, then the upper bound should be somewhere around 5 partners at MOST. And even then, it's gotta be some exceptional chad. Anywhere more and the additional numbers will only be a detriment. The logistics just don't work out. The relationship with each individual is gonna suffer for any additional lovers brought into the harem.
Now, if we are coming from a position of superiority, like the harem of some medieval ruler, then there are no limits to the size. If the numbers become too large to handle, you can just impose some top down hierarchical system.
It really irks me in manga when they try to have their cake and eat it too. No, you just can't have a loving relationship on equal footing with 30 girls at once. Some girl is gonna feel neglected. You will probably end up getting stabbed to death on a boat.
If you are talking about a loving relationship of equals, then the upper bound should be somewhere around 5 partners at MOST. And even then, it's gotta be some exceptional chad. Anywhere more and the additional numbers will only be a detriment. The logistics just don't work out. The relationship with each individual is gonna suffer for any additional lovers brought into the harem.
Now, if we are coming from a position of superiority, like the harem of some medieval ruler, then there are no limits to the size. If the numbers become too large to handle, you can just impose some top down hierarchical system.
It really irks me in manga when they try to have their cake and eat it too. No, you just can't have a loving relationship on equal footing with 30 girls at once. Some girl is gonna feel neglected. You will probably end up getting stabbed to death on a boat.
2 Years of Service
Definitely depends on the game. If its a story heavy game (or one with a real plot) then as others have said, 5-7. But if its less story, then I think you can do more, because at that point, the harem is just an excuse to use different models.
2 Years of Service
I would say 5 or 6, it depends on the game and how unique the characters are and how much backstory there is for each character. I think Subverse is great at this and thankfully most games have an harmonious harem. I would not dare to think about a sudden harem of +9 people with 2 yanderee girls and 1 or 2 jealous girls. That would be and interesting game in balancing the harem personalities VS death by knife, SnuSnu or going home and seeing a bloodbath with one crazy woman in the middle of all your dead harem of it all holding a knife.
"You can only be mine!" (Captures MC and keeps him in a dungeon until he dies).
"You can only be mine!" (Captures MC and keeps him in a dungeon until he dies).
2 Years of Service
it kinda just depends on how well the story is written. some dogshit, low-effort storytelling where some immature dickhead has a magic dick? jam in as many "love interests" as you want. a well-written harem with an actual plot and well-fleshed out characters? usually, i think the best would be if it limited itself to like 5, maybe 7 at the most. there are exceptions (see: grandma's house, despite the criticisms) but they are few and far between. i genuinely feel like the harem trope is more often or not just a way to fit the preferences of more potential players into one single story (the giga-stacked goth, the lithe tomboy, the shortstack tsundere, etc. pick your favorite type!). could be laziness, indecisiveness, or even just efficiency on the part of the author. i mean, look at the never-ending discussions on who the "best girl" is in certain fandoms. those discussions don't happen in non-harem media (usually). in my most earnest opinion, the absolute best way a harem plot can be done is when the "main" girl gets off on the mc pumpin loads into other women right in front of her. having a genuine cuckquean as the female lead is peak harem beyond reason.
2 Years of Service
I feel like 4-5 is good, anymore than that and it feels like none of them get much story time at all. I loath games that have like 20+ character in a harem.
4 Years of Service
Agreed, harem is usually the author fishing for different groups of fans with diff preferences. But hey, the variety can be nice.
