The romantic mobile game Love and Deepspace has officially shelved its planned sixth love interest, Valko, and players are not taking it quietly. After canceling the character just days before his scheduled July 9 debut, developer Infold doubled down on the decision by announcing it will introduce no additional love interests in the future, effectively capping the game's roster at five.
Valko was set to arrive as part of Version 6, alongside updates to the Home 2.0 feature and AR Photobooth functionality. The character had been teased for weeks before Infold abruptly pulled the plug on June 30, citing insufficient preparation. "After reflecting on recent events, we recognize that we moved forward with the introduction of Valko before we were truly ready," the studio said in a statement. "In doing so, we let down the players who have supported us from the start."
The fallout stems from backlash in China, where a segment of players objected to the character's design and the marketing campaign. The controversy escalated when China's Ministry of Public Security News and Media condemned a promotional image showing Valko on the main character's balcony, calling it "entertainment-driven, traffic-driven creative work" that "disregards public order and morality."
Rather than accept the cancellation quietly, Valko supporters launched a coordinated global campaign to fight for his return. Players donated to wildlife conservation centers in the character's name, commissioned fan art, purchased billboards, and flooded social media with posts using the hashtag #BringValkoBack. The outpouring persisted right up to the July 9 update deadline, with fans holding out hope that the developer might reverse course. When the update arrived without Valko, the character selection screen simply showed a blank space where his "coming soon" label had been.
One Twitter user posted: "money was raised in wolf conservation centres and a lot of good was done. so much art was shared, so many writings and discussions, and a lot of love." Another contrasted the behavior of opposing camps: "Valko haters: sending manure to the office, bullying and harassing Infold employees. Valko girls: They donate to shelters, buy billboards, flowers, and chocolate, write about their love for Chinese culture and Valko."
The community response has ranged from heartbreak to anger. Some players expressed devastation over what they perceive as censorship, citing unsubstantiated leaks suggesting that certain cutscenes are being modified for content concerns. One distraught player wrote: "all of this mess bc part of the fandom didn't want valko. now the whole game is censored, schedule nonexistent, update useless and nothing would be the same ever again."
To appease players, Infold distributed the rewards originally tied to a Valko-themed Hunt In Linkon event as free in-game mail items, including complimentary Deepspace Wishes currency. The studio also canceled fan events scheduled in both China and Japan and issued a second apology through Xiaohongshu, the Chinese social media platform, pledging to undergo staff training and internal review while committing to principles of historical respect and cultural preservation.
Love and Deepspace has become a massive commercial success since launching in January 2024 with three initial love interests: Rayfael, Xavier, and Zayne. Sylus arrived in July 2024, followed by Caleb in January 2025. According to AppMagic data from May, the game had surpassed 31 million downloads and generated over $1 billion in user spending, making it one of the highest-grossing mobile titles in its category.
For many players, the irony of the cancellation cuts particularly deep. The game has introduced players worldwide to Chinese mythology and culture through in-game events and storylines, and the playerbase credits Love and Deepspace with fostering genuine appreciation for those traditions. The decision to remove Valko, some argue, undermines that mission.
Infold has maintained silence on its official X account since July 1, breaking its absence only to address technical download issues for the new update. The studio has offered no timeline for reconsidering its stance on future love interests, leaving the door theoretically open to change while making clear no such change is imminent.
Author Emily Chen: "Infold created something that resonated globally and then buckled to internal pressure at the worst possible moment, turning a beloved character into a casualty and his fans into a mobilized force they didn't know they had."
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