Fans of the mobile dating sim Love and Deepspace have gathered at the Shanghai headquarters of developer Infold to express their profound disappointment over the sudden removal of the character Valko, who was slated for release on July 9. Players brought flowers, candles, and offered comfort to one another, with many sharing tearful accounts on social media.
A petition demanding Infold reverse its decision to remove Valko has garnered over 78,000 verified signatures and thousands of comments. Many signatories expressed feelings of betrayal, with some stating they had spent money on the game under the assumption that its roster of romanceable characters would continue to expand. They argue that removing Valko constitutes a bait-and-switch and a material alteration of the game's offering after monetization.
One fan shared their experience at the protest, stating, "When I first arrived at the Diezhi building and saw that wall, I couldn't help but cry. A girl shared her chocolate with me, another girl was herself choked up as she comforted me and held my hand." Another player posted a photograph of themselves holding a bouquet meant as a gesture of appreciation for Valko, which reportedly could not be accepted due to safety regulations.
Infold announced the cancellation of Valko on June 30, just over a week before his planned debut. The company cited a lack of readiness, stating, "After reflecting on recent events, we recognize that we moved forward with the introduction of Valko before we were truly ready. In doing so, we let down the players who have supported us from the start, and we also fell short of delivering the experience that players anticipating Valko deserved."
At the time of reporting, Infold had not issued a further public statement addressing the significant backlash from its player base.