Passionate Campaign Seeks to Bring Back Valko in Love and Deepspace
Despite a passionate campaign from fans, the maker of the romance game Love and Deepspace appears to be sticking with its decision to exclude the new love interest Valko from the latest update. The character, originally due for release on July 9, was canceled after a negative reaction from a vocal part of the player base in China. Global players banded together to post on social media, create fan art, and donate to good causes in Valko’s name in the hopes of getting him back.
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Update Fails to Deliver on Promises
After the update, fans discovered that Valko had not been added and that on the character selection screen, where there had previously been a ‘coming soon’ label, there was now a blank space. Player reactions range from heartbroken to angry to hopeful, along with calls to continue the campaign to bring him back. There are also unsubstantiated leaks that appear to reveal the core role Valko would have played in the game’s storyline and rumors that certain cutscenes are being censored for their suggestive content.
Infold, the developer of Love and Deepspace, has been silent on the issue since July 1, but has since broken its silence to address problems some users had been having downloading the new update. The original decision to abort Valko’s addition to the game was announced on June 30 just a week after he was revealed and following a long teaser campaign that foreshadowed his arrival.
In an official statement to players, Infold not only shared its decision to cut Valko but also stated, ‘No additional love interests will be introduced in future content plans.’ The game currently has five love interests, and Valko was to be the sixth. His addition was planned to be part of the Version 6 update of the game along with updates to the Home 2.0 and AR Photobooth features.
The rewards that the company had planned as rewards for the Valko-focused Hunt In Linkon event were instead distributed to players for free via in-game mail, along with free Deepspace Wishes.
Fans Continue to Fight for Valko’s Return
Despite the developer’s decision, fans continue to fight for Valko’s return. Many players have taken to social media to express their disappointment and frustration, with some even going as far as to create fan art and write about their love for Chinese culture and Valko.
Infold has canceled fan events in both China and Japan and issued another public apology on the official Love and Deepspace account on Xiaohongshu (RedNote):
‘Recently, Love and Deepspace has attracted widespread public attention. This has caused significant distress to all of our players and created negative impacts. We feel deeply ashamed. We have no excuses. We will engage in serious self-reflection, confront our own shortcomings directly, take responsibility proactively, and extend our sincerest apologies to everyone.’
Background and Context
Love and Deepspace has five existing love interests, and it seems it will stay that way for the foreseeable future. The game launched in January 2024 with three, Rayfael, Xavier, and Zayne, with Sylus joining the lineup in July 2024 and Caleb in January 2025. Last May, AppMagic noted the game had seen more than 31 million downloads and put user spending at over $1 billion.
Infold had originally planned to introduce Valko as part of the game’s storyline, but the backlash from the Chinese player base led to his exclusion. The controversy has sparked a heated debate among fans, with some calling for the developer to reconsider Valko’s inclusion and others defending the decision.
The issue appears to have been further complicated by Chinese government intervention. The Ministry of Public Security News and Media put out a statement condemning one scene from the game’s marketing that showed Valko appearing on the main character’s balcony.
Many players noted that Love and Deepspace had actually helped to teach them about Chinese mythology and culture, thanks to various in-game events and storylines.
