Love and Deepspace Fans Hold ‘Funeral’ After Developer Cancels New Husbando Amid Excrement-Throwing Protests

Mobile games with male-oriented fan service are common, but it would be a mistake to assume that comparable experiences for female players do not exist and with equal fervor. Few examples illustrate this passion more vividly than the recent uproar surrounding Love and Deepspace.

Days ago, Chinese developer Papergames introduced Valko as the sixth romantic option in Love and Deepspace, joining existing characters Xavier, Zayne, Rafayel, Sylus, and Caleb. The new werewolf husbando was poised to fulfill players’ fantasies, but within hours of his reveal, the studio reversed course entirely, scrapping months of development work in response to overwhelming player backlash.

What Is the Controversy Regarding Love and Deepspace’s Valko?

The controversy ignited almost immediately after Valko’s unveiling. While a subset of players felt excitement, the vast majority reacted with visceral disgust so much so that protests turned performatively grotesque.

Reports from Chinese social media and local news portals indicate that demonstrators gathered outside Papergames’ Singapore-based headquarters, leaving bootprints on promotional materials and, most strikingly, depositing cow dung as a literal symbol of their repudiation.

Such dramatic displays are not entirely unprecedented in Asia’s fiercely devoted gacha gaming culture, yet the Love and Deepspace protests drew particular attention for their sheer audacity. The movement extended online as well, with the game’s official social media channels hemorrhaging over 1 million followers in the days following Valko’s announcement.

Why Is Valko So Controversial?

Critics directed their ire primarily at Valko’s visual design, which many deemed overly Westernized and insufficiently attractive compared to the existing roster. Deeper grievances, however, soon surfaced: players accused Papergames of neglecting the narrative development of current love interests while cynically churning out new ones, and decried the studio’s predatory monetization and perceived stinginess toward its paying user base.

Given that Chinese players constitute the studio’s primary market, the developer had little choice but to respond swiftly to protect both its reputation and revenue.

Yet not all players supported the cancellation as some them argued that the Asian and Chinese fanbases should not unilaterally dictate content for the rest of the world, which split the player base in half.

This schism has since split the Love and Deepspace community into rival factions, with global fans launching an online petition to reinstate Valko. As of this writing, the petition has gathered nearly 90,000 signatures, though the studio has issued no official reply to the demand.

“If Infold is willing to listen and adapt for its Chinese players, I sincerely hope they will extend the same courtesy to the global version’s community. I love this game, unlike other titles that bore me quickly, this one has become something I genuinely invest my time and heart into,” a user who signed the petition wrote.

Players Organize “Funeral” to Say Farewell to Valko

In a poignant display of devotion, grieving fans organized an impromptu “funeral” outside Infold Games’ offices to bid farewell to a character they never truly got to know. Attendees brought floral arrangements and left them beside posters of the ill-fated wolf-like husbando, mourning what could have been. The demonstration remained peaceful, though security at the premises has since been notably intensified following the earlier protests.

In response to the upheaval, Infold Games announced it would distribute 30 Deepspace Wishes as a goodwill compensation for the “disappointment and disruption” caused by the controversial episode. The studio also pledged to prioritize deepening the existing characters’ storylines rather than introducing new ones, and to maintain a steadier release cadence for the main narrative.

“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.,” the development team stated in an official notice bearing the hashtag #LADSValkoCanceled.

What do you think about the Love and Deepspace controversy? Share your thoughts in the comments below.