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[honeybivee]

An Update on the Situation

To summarize, following the incident involving A-0731 (link here), Infold and Papergames have reportedly come under investigation by the Chinese government. There is speculation that government pressure may have led to the removal of Valko from the game, putting the developers in a difficult position. While both the Chinese and global communities are upset, the possibility of Infold facing government action is a serious matter. As of now, Infold has removed all love interest posters from its building, and Papergames has removed Love and Deepspace from its website. This could point to one of two possible outcomes.

Note*: None of these are confirmed, only speculated outcomes

Two-Month Hiatus

The company may enter a two-month hiatus to address the situation and determine how to move forward. This seems plausible, given that both Infold's building and the Papergames website have removed all Love and Deepspace content. If this happens, it may be the best course of action. A temporary pause could allow tensions to settle and give the company time to evaluate its options. It could also provide an opportunity for Infold to relocate its headquarters outside mainland China, reducing the impact of Chinese censorship laws. However, in order for Infold to move outside of mainland China, they need proof of resonable profit, which has declined since the removal of Valko. Whether this hiatus means no content being released or servers being temporarily being shut down are unclear.

Deletion of the Game

Love and Deepspace has always had to operate within China's censorship regulations. During the release of more suggestive banners, such as Lingering Lust, Infold and Papergames had to be especially careful with promotional content because these releases increased the risk of government scrutiny. Officials in China view games like Love and Deepspace negatively because they encourage players to focus on fictional male characters rather than real-life relationships. Following the Unit 731-related incident, there is speculation that Infold could be forced to shut down the entire game or, alternatively, close only the global server. However, many believe this outcome is unlikely.

That said, there are other possibilities. For example, the global server could be relocated outside China. This would reduce the impact of Chinese censorship on the game and could make it easier to include Valko in future content for global fans.

It is also important to remember that Valko's removal has a significant impact on the future storylines of Sylus and Caleb. Both characters were expected to receive major story updates, but without Valko, those storylines may need to be rewritten to account for content that was originally tied to his role. This situation might have been less disruptive if Sylus and Caleb's missing story content had been released earlier. Instead, the developers prioritized releasing multi-banner events, which generate revenue, while delaying permanent story content. As a result, they have created additional work for themselves and contributed to the current backlash.

Links to previous posts

Response to Valko's Removal

Controversial creative decisions

[honeybivee]

Response to Valko's Removal

Infold made several controversial creative decisions during Valko's introduction. Many Chinese players associated Valko with these negative connotations because they were released alongside his content.

1. File A-0731

Valko had a file associated with him labeled A-0731. During World War II, Unit 731 was responsible for biological and chemical warfare research conducted by the Japanese military. The unit carried out horrific human experimentation and torture on Chinese, Korean, and Russian prisoners. In addition, a character name registered by Infold, "Yan Song," was perceived by some players as phonetically similar to the name of a Japanese general later classified as a war criminal. Because of these similarities, some players believed Papergames and Infold were investigated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the governing authority of mainland China.

It is worth noting, however, that the controversial file number first appeared in April and did not generate the same level of backlash at the time.

2. Promotional video: "Rule No. 1: Never bathe in the pot."

While this line seemed insignificant to many global players, it alarmed a number of Chinese players. The phrase reminded them of a widely publicized domestic violence and femicide case in which a husband murdered his wife by forcing her head into a pot of boiling soup. Because the crime occurred relatively recently, it remains a painful reminder of violence against women and concerns about women's safety in China. For many Chinese women, the imagery of an iron pot filled with boiling liquid has become a powerful symbol of trauma. As a result, many players felt it was inappropriate for a game primarily marketed toward women to reference imagery that evoked such an association.

3. Trailer: "What's wrong with inviting a wolf into the house?"

Much of the criticism surrounding this slogan came from players' reactions to its implications. Some described Valko as an intruder or even likened him to a sexual predator, saying they were uncomfortable with the framing. While Western romance media often portrays a male love interest entering the heroine's room through a window as a playful or romantic trope, this is far less common in Chinese media. Many Chinese players are women who live alone, and the idea of someone breaking into their home does not feel romantic. Instead, it reflects real concerns about personal safety, making the trope unsettling rather than appealing.

Overall, criticism often becomes far more visible than support. Chinese players who expressed positive opinions about Valko reportedly faced harassment, while some Infold employees received death threats. The development team behind Valko was devastated after learning he would not be included. Because Infold and Papergames employees receive early access to Love and Deepspace content, many had already become attached to the character. This is a sad situation for this community to face. This game became a safe place for players to enjoy content that is unlike anything else on the market.

Edit*: The racism directed at Chinese players has been intense. It has always existed, and it has become even more pronounced as many global players blame them for the removal of Valko. Ultimately, the company is responsible. They took the solution to an extreme, upsetting not only global fans but also many Chinese fans who welcomed Valko's addition. Chinese fans had every right to be upset and express their opinions when Valko was first introduced. Global fans are doing the exact same thing now. There are often nuances that are lost in translation across different forms of entertainment media, and issues that matter deeply to one community may not resonate in the same way with another. It is important to understand where these concerns come from and to educate ourselves before passing judgment.

Response to Valko's Removal this link is about a post I made on the racism towards Chinese players in regards to the recent events in the community.

[honeybivee]

Response to Valko's Removal

This is my perspective on the situation and my thoughts after reading the discussion over the past few hours. I'm not making this the defend Infold's actions, but rather the shed some light on some issues that are occuring because of it.

I don't want to defend Infold's decision, but I do think there needs to be a more balanced conversation about it. Most people's first reaction to the announcement was anger, and that's completely understandable. Players were excited about the addition of a new character and the opportunity for the story to expand. What is not acceptable, however, is the blatant racism being directed at Chinese players because of this decision.

Infold is a Chinese company. While they use Papergames to publish the game globally, their primary audience has always been their domestic player base. Chinese players have been the foundation of this game since its launch. If you compare the events, promotions, and community engagement between the Chinese and global servers, it's clear how much support that community has given the game. They also make up more than half of the game's revenue, while regions like North America and Japan each account for roughly 10% of total sales. From a business perspective, it isn't surprising that Infold would prioritize the audience that contributes the most to the game's success.

That doesn't mean global players aren't allowed to be upset. Infold chose to release the game worldwide, and every player has the right to express disappointment and expect their feedback to matter. You can disagree with the company's decision, but blaming an entire player base misses the point. Infold made this choice because they believed it aligned with the interests of their largest market. Throughout the game's history, whenever there has been a conflict between the Chinese and global communities, Infold has consistently prioritized its domestic audience.

Something else that has been overlooked is that Valko's announcement was controversial from the beginning. Both Chinese and global players had mixed reactions. Many people on both sides questioned whether he should be added to the game. As more information about Valko was released, more global players became interested in him, but it isn't accurate to rewrite history and claim that only Chinese players opposed his addition. There were concerns across the entire community.

One of the most common concerns I saw was the current state of the existing love interests, especially Sylus and Caleb. Both characters are still missing significant story content and bonds, and they have noticeably fewer cards than the others. My own concern with adding Valko was how difficult it would be for him to catch up. Players have spent years building connections with the current love interests, and many are already frustrated by how little content their favorite characters receive. Adding another love interest would only divide future content even further.

At the end of the day, Infold made the decision they believed would satisfy their largest consumer base, even if it disappointed the rest of the community. You don't have to agree with that decision, and you don't have to keep supporting the game because of it. If this is the reason you decide to stop playing Love and Deepspace, that's a valid choice. Just remember that this was ultimately a company decision. Directing racism and harassment toward Chinese players will not change the outcome, and it only makes an already disappointing situation worse.

Additional Thought*: Valko was an attempt to appeal more to a global audience by bringing more international players to the game. While this may have succeeded, the preferences of global players will never outweigh the desires of Infold's domestic market.