Hundreds of players gathered outside Infold's Shanghai headquarters this week to mourn a character who never even launched. Valko, a wolf-themed love interest scheduled to debut in the mobile romance game Love and Deepspace on July 9, was abruptly canceled by the developer just days before release.
The sudden axe has sparked an emotional backlash that has taken over social media. Videos show fans at the office building crying openly, some comforting one another. Players brought flowers, candles, and handwritten notes to memorialize the character. One fan shared chocolate with a stranger, both tearfully processing the loss together.
The developer's explanation came on June 30 in a terse statement. "After reflecting on recent events, we recognize that we moved forward with the introduction of Valko before we were truly ready," Infold wrote. "In doing so, we let down the players who have supported us from the start."
That vague language has only deepened player frustration. A petition demanding Infold reverse the decision has garnered over 78,000 verified signatures and thousands of comments from angry fans. The tone across the comments ranges from heartbroken to furious.
"Removing Valko from the game is NOT an acceptable solution," one signer wrote. "I am deeply disappointed to see Infold choose to erase a long-awaited LOVED character."
Financial concerns are also fueling the anger. Several petitioners point out that players spent money on the game expecting it would continue growing its roster of romantic options. Canceling Valko, they argue, amounts to a material change after monetization.
"Many players spent money believing the game would continue expanding its romantic routes. Canceling Valko feels like a bait-and-switch," one commenter explained.
Infold has offered no further public response to the outcry. The developer has not addressed what specifically prompted the last-minute cancellation or whether Valko might return in some form at a later date.
Love and Deepspace is a free-to-play mobile romance title where players date different male characters. Valko was set to be the game's sixth major love interest. His sudden removal has left a sizable chunk of the fanbase feeling betrayed and, judging by the vigil outside company headquarters, genuinely distraught.
Author Emily Chen: "It's wild that a mobile game character could inspire this level of real-world grief, but the players' frustration about a last-minute cancellation after they'd invested time and money is completely justified."
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