Love and Deepspace developer Papergames has announced the cancellation of Valko, the previously teased sixth male lead and love interest for the popular otome action RPG. Following the character’s official announcement on June 22, criticisms from segments of the playerbase led the devs to scrap Valko’s development and decide against introducing any new male characters to the game in the future. The move has sparked significant debate, as numerous fans had been anticipating the new character and even planning their in-game spending for his arrival.
Valko’s introduction faced opposition from certain fans for multiple reasons. Some expressed concern that his addition would shift the game’s focus away from its established love interests (some of whom had recently seen limited narrative development). Chinese players, in particular, voiced disapproval regarding Valko, citing everything from his visual design to alleged references to controversial historical events (specifically, some of Valko’s backstory details were interpreted as referencing a notorious Imperial Japanese Army unit, a claim Papergames has refuted). The narrative element of Valko breaking into the protagonist’s home also drew criticism, with some viewing it as “disrespectful toward women’s personal safety for dramatic effect.” In the days following the announcement, the game’s social media channels experienced a notable drop in followers.
It appears the developers faced substantial backlash, compelling them to not only halt Valko’s development – despite the character’s content likely being in progress for some time prior to his reveal – but also to declare that no additional male leads will be added to Love and Deepspace, a decision that carries significant weight for a live-service game.
Although the studio has pledged several in-game rewards as compensation, supporters of Valko who were excited for his debut remain dissatisfied with the cancellation (a petition exists to reintroduce him into Love and Deepspace). Given that much of the controversy surrounding Valko seems to stem from the Chinese player community, some propose adding him exclusively to the international servers, though whether this is a feasible solution for the developers remains uncertain.
Love and Deepspace is available on Android and iOS devices.