Fan backlash against the introduction of a new character, Valko, in the mobile game Love and Deepspace has escalated beyond online complaints. According to reports, the game's publisher, Infold, has faced extreme reactions, including cow manure and funeral wreaths being mailed to their offices. The protests appear to stem from concerns over the perceived sidelining of established characters and disapproval of Valko's design.
Further complicating matters, Chinese CCP officials have reportedly become involved to investigate aspects of Valko's storyline. Allegations suggest that deleted game files contained references to World War 2 war crimes committed against China by Japan, a sensitive issue given current geopolitical tensions. Additionally, certain sexually threatening elements in Valko's introductory trailer have drawn criticism.
Infold has responded with apologies that have been described as opaque, failing to provide specific details about the issues they are addressing.
Meanwhile, a weekly roundup of web writing highlights the peculiar intersections of gaming and other media. This includes the surprising sponsorship of a car in Japan's Super GT racing series by the horse girl game Umamusume Pretty Derby, competing alongside a Mercedes sponsored by Hatsune Miku. The piece also delves into the inherent complexities of game design, using mundane objects like doors and ladders as examples. Liz England, a former lead designer at Ubisoft and Insomniac, discussed how seemingly simple elements can introduce bugs when players interact with them in unexpected ways. She noted that while doors are common in real life, their behavior in games—whether they open towards or away from the player, or if they are solid at all—requires careful implementation. Ladders, she added, are often even more problematic.
The roundup also references a hypothetical scenario from The Odyssey adventure game, illustrating how simple choices can lead to complex puzzle-solving. The writing humorously contrasts the real-world reactions of Super GT drivers to these topics with the abstract nature of game development discussions, concluding with a quirky anecdote about a delivery driver and a fictional game developer's life being a "Low Poly Mess."