Love and Deepspace Cancels New Love Interest Valko After Massive Fan Backlash
- Sagar Mankar
- 12 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Love and Deepspace developer Infold Games has officially cancelled the release of its sixth love interest, Valko, following days of intense backlash from the game's player base. The character, also known as Ao Yin, was set to launch on July 9 but will now never make it into the game at all.
Character details: 26 years old, 6'2" (189 cm), EonCore Tech Chairman, head of a werewolf clan. He has a rugged, edgy design with dusty red hair, gold eyes, wolf features (ears/tail in some forms), and an Evol called Metallization. His story involved a new main romance line and companions. He was positioned as a more feral/"Twilight wolf guy" contrast to the existing LIs (Xavier, Zayne, Rafayel, Sylus, Caleb).
What Sparked The Backlash Against Valko?
According to reports, most of the anger came from the game's Chinese player base, though the ripple effects were felt globally too. Fans were furious that a sixth love interest was being added at all, especially since the existing five characters had gone long stretches without meaningful story updates. Some main storylines went over 500 days without any new content, and players felt Infold was pouring resources into a brand new character instead of taking care of the ones already in the game.
Although some players also criticized Valko's more Western-inspired character design (some called it too "vulgar," rugged, or Western-appealing), reports suggest that the lack of updates for existing characters remained the biggest source of frustration.
The backlash apparently got physical too. As per reports circulating on Chinese social media, some players sent items like cow dung, funeral flowers, and ritual objects to Papergames offices, where a large Valko themed display had been set up as part of his promotional campaign. White and yellow chrysanthemums are traditionally linked to funerals and mourning in Chinese culture, so sending them was widely seen as a symbolic gesture wishing ill on the company. Others left glutinous rice and pomelo leaves nearby, items typically used in spiritual cleansing rituals, seemingly implying that the studio needed to ward off evil after introducing Valko.
Following the protests, Papergames tightened security at its headquarters and restricted public access to the building, especially after visitors began taking provocative photos near the promotional setup.
Other fan theories added fuel to the controversy
Beyond the lack of updates, a deeper controversy emerged around Valko’s promotional PV in China. The video included quirky fantasy rules such as “If you’re in the kitchen…” and “Rule No. 1: Never bathe in the pot.” While seemingly random to global audiences, these lines struck a nerve in China because they echoed imagery from a recent, widely publicized femicide case known as the “Iron Pot Wife Murder.”
In that case, a woman named Wu Mouli was brutally assaulted by her husband, who poured boiling noodle soup over her and forced her head into a pot, leading to her death. The case shocked Chinese society, becoming a cultural trauma comparable to the Gabby Petito case in the US or the Sarah Everard case in the UK.
Another theory circulating among fans was that Valko bore an uncanny resemblance to Infold CEO Yao Runhao. His Chinese name, Ao Yin, was also said to sound similar to the CEO’s. While some dismissed this as coincidence, others speculated that the character was a thinly veiled self-insert.
Papergames officially cancels Valko
Infold addressed the growing criticism in an apology on June 27, stating that "the way information about Valko was presented did not give sufficient consideration to your expectations and concerns." That apology, however, wasn't enough to calm things down.
On June 30, Infold released a follow up statement confirming the character's cancellation entirely. The studio said, "We have decided to cancel both the launch and any further development of the new love interest."
It didn't stop there either. Infold also committed that "no additional love interests will be introduced in future content plans," meaning the game will stick with its current five love interests going forward.
Instead, the studio said it plans to focus on developing "the stories and long term companionship experiences" of the existing cast.
"Going forward, we will work harder, listen more carefully, and do our utmost to honor the trust you have placed in us. We will stay focused on delivering the experience you deserve—one filled with love where every moment in Linkon City can once again become a joyful and treasured memory."
Did The Cancellation Fix The Problem?
Not really. If anything, it opened up a whole new wave of backlash, this time from the global side of the fanbase who were actually excited for Valko. Plenty of players are now arguing that Infold could have simply kept Valko while also promising more frequent updates for existing characters. Some have gone as far as calling the sudden cancellation close to false advertising, given how recently the character was being promoted with trailers and marketing pushes.