cancelling valko’s release is such a huge slap in the face not only for the lads players who were so excited to meet him (long time players who were excited for something new as well as ppl who wanted to start playing lads just for valko), but to everyone involved in bringing his character to life. developers, artists, writers, voice actors, etc worked on him for two years, maybe more. it must feel awful having all that hard work just tossed to the side like that. he was already loved by so many before he even got to debut 💔
And that's the part that's making me lose my fucking mind.
We lost an entire section of the MAIN STORY.
The livestream literally told us Valko's release was going to reveal more about the Aethercore—one of the biggest mysteries in Love and Deepspace and something that's been central to the plot from the very beginning.
So now what?
You think they can just delete him and nothing changes?
Do people genuinely think you can rip out an entire story arc without consequences?
Everything that was supposed to be revealed through Valko now has to be rewritten, redistributed, or outright cut. The main story is going to have to be retconned. Future updates are going to have to be reworked. Characters may have to be rewritten just to fill the gap he leaves.
If you're celebrating this because you "won," I sincerely hope you understand what you've actually cheered for.
Actionable Ideas for Challenging Infold Over Valko's Release
A lot of LADS fans are really upset over Infold's decision to shelve Valko. This is my attempt at creating action items for fans wanting to do something but are unsure where to start.
Here are some methods for giving Infold feedback:
Sign this petition and this petition
Reply to their posts on X (Twitter)
Comment on their Instagram posts
Comment on their Facebook posts
Comment on their YouTube videos
Join their official Discord Server and voice your dissatisfaction
Leave a 1-star review on the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store
Complete the survey in the Love and Deepspace app by selecting the box/pencil icon in the top right corner of the home screen
"Suggest" Valko's release in the Love and Deepspace app by going to Settings > More > Support, then select "Suggestion"
(If you want to be slightly passive-aggressive) On 9 July, go to Settings > More > Support, then select "Bug Report" and fill out the report stating that the promised Valko content is missing
Remember: if we want Infold to listen to us, we MUST remain civil and demonstrate our affection for the game. I highly doubt they will be intimidated by non-CN players, which means we are held to a different standard. What is effective for them will not be effective for us.
With that said, remember these do's and dont's:
Do repeatedly submit/post/send your feedback over the next few weeks. Email them today, in a few days, on 9 July, and in the weeks after. Post on their social media every day. Overwhelm them and show them this isn't going to go away over a few free Wishes.
Do prepare to CONTINUE submitting/posting/sending your feedback over the next few months. Infold needs to see that we won't let this issue go. Schedule emails to be sent to them over the next 3 months. Draft X posts today and copy and paste them to post in a few months time. Draft your long-form in-app feedback in preperation for the update and the upcoming banners. Create reminders to check and comment on their posts weekly. Don't let them get comfortable. Be a dog with a bone (lol).
Do maintain a polite tone in your feedback (even when you are issuing a threat like leaving the game).
Do specify your current disappointments, long-term criticisms, and expectations for the future of the game should you continue to play.
Do clearly isolate your long-term issues with the game from the current issue of Valko's release. Make it clear that those issues are not resolved by delaying or permanently canceling Valko's debut.
Do talk positively about whatever you can (ie. enjoying other LIs, enjoying the content of the Main Story itself, appreciating the worldbuilding, etc). This may feel difficult, but it demonstrates that you are a passionate player. Infold can assume that a player so invested in the game would need something drastic to push them to leave.
Don't use profanity.
Don't reference CN players.
Don't bring up Infold's past mistakes. We need to stay focused on the current issues.
Don't criticize anything about Valko's teased content. This one may be unpopular, I know. If Infold is pulling back Valko's release, I don't think it's likely that they will be willing to invest any more time and money into his development. If they continue to get more and more criticisms about him and don't care to change anything about him, they will never release him. I'm not minimizing any fan's concerns; I'm suggesting we choose a priority.
If you are unsure where to start, here are some talking points:
Express your excitement over Valko (bonus points if you give reasons why). Did you come back from a long hiatus for him?
Express your disappointment over not having Valko in the game. How will it impact your enjoyment of the game?
Describe how you prepared for his anticipated arrival.
• In-game (farm for dias, bought packs, etc)
• On your devices (created storage space, bought a new device, etc)
• Financially (budgeted for buying packs upon his release, etc)
Describe how you engaged in fandom around Valko. Did you create fanart, fanfiction, or other fanworks? How much were you consuming fanworks showcasing him? Demonstrating how beloved he was before any real content of his being released indicates a warm reception if/when he is released.
What are the current issues you experience with the game? Be specific. Describe exactly how they impact your gameplay. Suggest a concrete way those issues could be resolved. Assert that Valko's release being postponed or canceled will not resolve these issues.
Express concern for the changes to their planned story arc his absence would create. Question if those changes would be as enjoyable as their original plan.
(If you're feeling up to it) Acknowledge the amount of time, effort, and money that must have gone into creating Valko. Let them know it would disappoint you to see it go to waste.
Infold made a terrible decision. We need to take action and let Infold know that a large portion of the LADS fanbase wants Valko to be released at some point. Let's try to remain positive where we can, engage in positive fandom, and do our best to make our voices heard by Infold.
𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: 1.5k word count, sfw, angst, mentions of loss/grief, slight suicidal ideation
𝐚/𝐧: hello chat i have decided to maybe try writing a lil bit? ive been doing a lot of rp so im feeling a lil more comfortable with my writing skills but theyre still not the best #lol n e ways here’s some angst since i seem to be alright at writing that. lmk what yall wanna see next! my asks are open :3
ken was only 15 when he had lost his middle school sweetheart and he hadn’t been the same ever since. although her passing wasn’t his fault, the guilt kept him up at night for years- hell, some nights he still catches himself staring up at the ceiling wondering if there was something, anything he could’ve done to save her from her untimely demise.
each day that passed made him feel farther and farther away from her and he fucking hated that. there were so many things he wanted to tell her but couldn’t. so many little things reminded him of her, but maybe they only reminded him of her because he’d look for her in everything. who knows?
the days melt into weeks, months, years. he’d keep himself busy in any way he could to stop any and all negative thoughts to occur, thoughts that made him wish it had himself and not her and thoughts that make him want to do nothing more than join her on the other side. no, stop it. just gotta finish up this one thing and i can have another smoke break.
it wasn’t until his 20s that he decided he’d try dating again. takashi helped him set up a dating app profile and even helped him talk to some of the girls. each date would end up the same, though- he’d end up mentioning emma, the rest of the night would be silent, and afterward he’d receive messages along the lines of, “you’re a really sweet guy, but i’m not sure you’re ready to move on just yet and that’s okay.”
maybe it was fate. he despised that word after what had happened, but maybe it was. your car was pulled over on the side of the road, your hazards blinking as smoke comes out of the hood. being a mechanic, leaving a lady stranded on the side of the road in a car that looks like it’s about to explode the last thing ken would ever do. he got out his car and popped the hood open, waving the smoke out of his face. “looks like an overheated engine. i can fix her up for you,” he tells you.
“thank you so much,” you let out a sigh of relief. what ken didn’t know was that for the past couple days, minor inconveniences had been quickly piling up and ruining your mood and this stupid fucking car was the cherry on top. you were seconds away from a mental breakdown when you heard him tap on your window, fighting back tears as he gestured for you to roll your window down.
he had been running behind schedule that morning and was late for work, yet he still waited with you for roadside assistance to show up and bring your car to his shop. when they arrive, you were given the option to either ride in the three seated tow truck or with ken in his pickup truck. naturally, you’d rather not ride in a tow truck squished between two strange men, so you opted to ride with the samaritan who had pulled over to help you. ken leads the way to the shop, the tow truck close behind him.
after fixing your engine and giving you a discount on it, he had given you a business card for the shop before sending you on your way. he wrote his personal phone number down on the back- just in case you didn’t like talking on the phone, of course. his handwriting was shit, but he made sure the numbers were legible ans had even waited a bit for the pen ink to dry so you wouldn’t end up accidentally texting a wrong number.
as fate would have it, the two of you began to run into each other after that. at the grocery store, restaurants, gas stations, you name it. each time he’d ask you if your car was still running okay and he’d remind you that you have his phone number in case you need anything at all. after each run in with you, he’d head back to his messy apartment and check his phone just to see if you had texted. he wasn’t exactly sure why he was waiting for a message from you as he knew full well that if you did text him, it would be about your car troubles.
the first time you finally texted him, you needed your oil changed and he was happy to do it for you the following morning, once again giving you a discount. the next time, you had been pulled over for a broken tail light and let off on a warning. that same night, he had arrived to your place at nearly midnight with a new bulb for your tail light, fixing it free of charge.
the third time, though, you were feeling a bit bold and asked him if he had any plans for the upcoming weekend. his eyes widened as he read the message, his heart racing. after about 20 ish minutes staring at his phone, he had finally replied to say he did not in fact have anything planned. you wanted to treat him to dinner for his kindness. after a bit of back and forth bickering about who was going to pay, he finally gives in and replies to you:
that’ll be the first and last time i let a lady pay for me.
no hesitation, no worries, not even a hint of regret about the implication that there would be a next time. just playful banter. of course, as each day leading up to saturday passed, the anxiety and guilt crept up again. as saturday evening approached, he showered and put on his nicest button up t-shirt as well as one of his few pairs of jeans that weren’t stained with motor oil, not wanted to be overdressed or underdressed depending on where the hell you were taking him.
the night started off as expected- the two of you sat down at your table, one of you talked while the other listened. you told each other about what you do for work and in your free time. then, the conversation would shift to your dating lives. inevitably, he would mention his late girlfriend to you, opening up about how he hadn’t really been with anyone serious since her. it’s not like they were broken up, so he feels like he’s cheating on her any time he tries, so he had sort of given up. even so, there was that nagging voice in the back of his head that would tell him that there’s no point in trying again because there’s a chance it’ll just happen all over again.
“i’m so sorry,” you tell him, a sentence he’s heard one too many times before. only, it was different coming from you, no uncomfortable squirming, no breaking eye contact, no awkward silence for the rest of dinner.
“what was she like?”
he was taken aback by the question a bit. none of his past dates had ever asked him about her. he told you all about how they had met, how she used to be so shy around him up until she had confessed her feelings for him. he’ll save the depressing details for another day, but the two of you continued to hit it off.
“at least let me get the tip, y/n,” he had told you with a playful pout on his lips, “i feel bad makin’ you pay.”
“you’re not making me do anything. i volunteered to- hey!”
he placed a $10 bill on the table. “i’m tipping.”
“well, i already wrote it down on the ticket,” you showed him the bill that you had already signed, complete with an additional $10 tip.
“guess the waiter’s gettin’ a good tip tonight then,” he teased with a smirk.
the days melted into weeks, months. you two continued you see each other outside of his place of work. you were more than happy to take it slow, go at his pace as he navigated his feelings. as he began to open up to you, he grew even more comfortable with you. he’d begin mindlessly wrap an arm around you while the two of you would watch movies together, letting you sleep on his shoulder and then carrying you to bed, and capturing your lips into a tender kiss the following morning because you just look so beautiful even if you did sleep in the clothes you wore yesterday and your hair is a mess. he started to realize he wasn’t working himself too hard anymore and hadn’t even felt the urge to pick up a cigarette in ages.
when it came to dating, his buddies would tell him for the longest time that emma would just want him to be happy, whether he found that happiness on his own or with a new partner. he could never grasp that concept until now. emma was gone and couldn’t come back, and looking for her in everyone he met only made him feel worse when he stopped to think about it. once he was able to break that habit and started looking for other things that could make him happy, you came along.
note: this is probably rusty but this has sat in my notes app for a couple months. been rewatching aot and my home calls for me. armin, i hope you'll take me back.
"oh... hey. it's you."
armin's words are honey dipped, and weighted more than gold.
"it's been a while, huh?"
"yeah," you admit. life is like the sea; it's vast and beautiful, but the currents and tides can sweep you away in the blink of an eye.
"i've missed you, i hope that's okay for me to say."
he stares at the ground.
"i never stopped missing you," he states.
his words make your heart twinge.
"never? i find that hard to believe. you had no reason to keep-"
"i know. i couldn't help it; couldn't help myself. i just had this feeling you'd come back."
"after all this time... would you even want me? i know i wouldn't want me."
he swallows the lump in his throat.
"i'd be lying if i said i was 100 percent sure, but i'm willing to try, if that's what you want as well."
"please. i'll never stray again. you are my compass, my true north. i'll always find my way back to you."
started watching attack on titan and have never had cutness aggression for anyone the way i do with armin like i need to put him in a microwave and watch him explode
pixelskylines
prguitarman
2087
annaxmalina
areudirty
baratheonpilled
