loyalty is for RL

[ripmywallet]

There are lots of posts giving that 9m9 anti girl from Weibo too much attention. Please know narcissistic bullies like this like the attention and it probably pleases her that she’s even being mentioned internationally. If you’re into seeing her posts simply gather evidence and report her. Sharing and talking about her on international social media only gives her more attention than she deserves. She’s also not the only anti. Don’t satisfy bullies by feeding them attention they crave.

[ripmywallet]

Excellent news in terms of clarifying the position of the company in terms of what the government expects of them:

These companies have been commissioned to move forward with global pursuits so appealing to those markets isn’t pandering to the West, as some antis propose, but a task from the government.

Allegedly, this is posted by:

Here is the link to the article.

What this means is that campaigns that are malicious and go against this commission may face serious consequences if proven because they’re directly sabotaging something mandated by the CCP.

[ripmywallet]

I usually watch things behind the scenes and don’t go in the fandom too much because truthfully the LADS community has always been more toxic than average.

But I had a thought with recent events.

On August 3rd when the LADS official resumed normal promotions without addressing the players, many pro Valko accounts got understandably mad and began to push more aggressive methods in their boycott.

A tag on X went viral and made it to China. Posts with this tag allegedly began being suppressed on Weibo because it called to question the cultural export duty of the maker of LADS by its growing, tarnished reputation globally. On X, many began saying it was created by antis because the boycott community has fractured. It was a tag that I tracked to this post first, and even the poster made a clarifying statement on it that seems to match my own data study. I wanted to see for myself if it was truly made by antis or someone mad with the route of this mess. This is something everyone should do, and not just follow blindly the opinion of someone else.

The community is falling apart on global, but also China.

Many Chinese players in the Valko Weibo Super Topic group decided to fight for their rights as consumers by contacting the relevant authorities who oversee these issues and complaints to force PG to finally address the players. Here are some screenshots. I have screen recorded the post too but I can’t seem to upload it here.

This post has been repeatedly taken down on Weibo which means that someone does not like this and is trying to suppress their consumer rights. Who is behind that? I leave you to think and theorize on your own.

These have been considered more radical responses, but in my own personal opinion, I think these are valid ways to move for Chinese players. The company who makes this game has handled everything poorly and has a long and public history of similar fumbles, most notably overseas with Infinity Nikki. If the Chinese government can use this event to make extended regulations from the ones proposed for September re: cyber bullying, then it is a positive change, as these smear campaigns that force drastic changes to their cultural exports can affect all video games made there. The only caveat is, it is a move only Chinese players can make because foreign interference can be construed negatively. It’s a fight only the Chinese players can wage.

Video games are China’s soft power export. They value this power because they were without one. As many say, Japan has anime, S. Korea has kpop, and now China has video games. In the Chinese player’s viewpoint, highlighting how this scandal can tarnish video game reputation worldwide is a way to ensure there are laws that protect China’s soft power from rabid antis who wish otherwise. Many letters have already been sent.

It is important to remember that when the company refused to remove Valko initially, the antis organized a malicious campaign to force their preferred outcome which led to massive international backlash and negative press. This is why they want to highlight this event to the government to push changes that will make this impossible in the future. Whether they succeed or not is unknown, but most movements would not take off if people never tried.

They are not the only ones moving with more pressing demands either. Organizers of Letters for Valko have also made a statement. Here are just some pieces of the full letter.

Finally, there’s a thought I’ve had on my mind.

Suppression is never valid. For me, as a spectator, I ask a question: Is silencing those you do not agree with the core of the CDG’s (cow dung girls)?

You can maintain your boycott efforts in whatever way you see is right, block those you don’t want near your space, right? Yet what I have seen is the same pressure and harassment against people who chose a more aggressive approach for their own boycott methods.

Is this right?

You can caution and express why you think a move is harmful without suppressing the people who are moving differently from you.

If suppression continues, people will leave. Less people, less boycott power.

Just because one stands on the good side doesn’t mean suppression is right. Accusing people of being antis for their anger begins to look a lot like the CDG name calling Valko supporters for having different aesthetic tastes.

Please evaluate how you act. Consider ways to curate your space that don’t involve entering CDG behavior.

You don’t need to fight for this company either. They are not our friends. Fight for your rights, not theirs. Treat them exactly as they treat us.

As always, these are just personal views and some info I’m presenting. Form your own conclusions and opinions.

[ripmywallet]

There is some good news! It isn’t a guarantee, but it is a ray of light for this situation for Valko.

BrownSugarSachi on X has shared this document. It’s in Chinese.

The translation I could get from my device:

Since you're all so fond of citing laws, let me do the same.

If the timeline and evidence recently compiled by players inside and outside China are accurate, then the friendly businesses and malicious media involved may have violated the following national policies, special campaigns, laws, and regulations:

1. National Policy – Opinions on Promoting the High-Quality Development of Foreign Cultural Trade

a. Jointly issued by 27 ministries including the Ministry of Commerce

The policy calls for:

* "Creating and producing more cultural products that meet the needs of international markets."

* "Actively cultivating the competitiveness of online game exports."

The author argues that:

Love and Deepspace was created in response to this policy by producing content suitable for international audiences, but parts of its creative work were forced to change due to public pressure, allegedly contradicting the state's goal of promoting Chinese culture abroad and strengthening the international competitiveness of Chinese online games.

2. State Council – Opinions on Accelerating the Development of Foreign Cultural Trade

Key objectives include:

* Promoting outstanding Chinese cultural products to the world.

* Building new competitive advantages for Chinese cultural exports.

* Cultivating internationally competitive cultural enterprises.

3. Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) Special Campaigns

a. "Clear and Bright" Special Campaign (2026)

The campaign targets conduct such as:

* Hyping negative information about companies during important periods such as financing, financial disclosures, or product launches.

* Maliciously amplifying negative public opinion.

* Exaggerating business or product problems.

* Artificially creating or amplifying public opinion through paid promotion ("paid posting" or "traffic manipulation").

b. Campaign Against Online Defamation and Smear Campaigns (2025)

Targets include:

* Malicious hype surrounding companies.

* Defaming businesses or entrepreneurs.

* Using AI-generated false information to maliciously attack businesses or entrepreneurs.

* Extorting companies by demanding payment to delete posts.

* Strengthening oversight of large accounts and MCN (multi-channel network) organizations.

4. Anti-Unfair Competition Law (Article 14)

Businesses may not:

* Fabricate or spread false or misleading information.

* Damage the commercial reputation or product reputation of competitors.

5. Interim Provisions on Online Anti-Unfair Competition

Business operators may not use the internet to:

* Fabricate or spread false or misleading information.

* Organize or direct others to maliciously review competitors' products.

* Organize or direct others to spread false information online.

* Damage another business's commercial reputation or product reputation.

It also specifies that:

Platform operators, public accounts, mini-programs, forum operators, and organizations providing comment services must not knowingly cooperate in such conduct.

6. CAC Regulations on the Governance of Online Information Content

Online information must:

* Comply with laws and regulations.

* Maintain a healthy online environment.

It prohibits:

* Fabricating or spreading false information.

* Disturbing the order of online communication.

* Other forms of illegal online content.

7. China Internet Integrity Development Report (2026)

The report discusses problems including:

* AI-generated "internet troll" content.

* Matrix-style account operations.

* Malicious account management.

* Dynamic content adjustment to evade detection.

* Identity spoofing.

* IP switching to avoid supervision.

The report notes that these practices make regulatory enforcement significantly more difficult

Closing statement

Everything above is based on publicly available sources and can be traced back to official documents. Everyone is encouraged to verify the relevant materials themselves.

(End translation)

This is not an official government notice or legal finding. It is a legal argument assembled by BrownSugarSachi. It isn’t saying these laws are definitely broken but the post argues that certain laws and policies could apply if the underlying facts are established; it is not evidence by itself that violations have occurred.

This person plans to submit a report.

ONLY THE CHINESE PEOPLE CAN FIGHT THIS. WE CANNOT CONTACT THEIR MEDIA OR GOVERNMENT. PLEASE LEAVE THIS TASK TO THEM.

Those who know the native language may provide the real translation in the future.

[ripmywallet]

There will be fan articles claiming that PG/Infold had “no choice” but to remove Valko due to CCP pressure, but I need people to consider facts and understand these claims are speculation. That does not mean it is true. It also does not mean it is false.

What we can do is look at the facts we do have.

When CCP gives an order to remove something this is final and absolute. This means that no outcry can ever change this decision. It will not be revoked. This is a fact that has been corroborated by many Chinese users and also something you can research personally.

This means that if they were the cause of Valko’s removal then he is never coming back no matter how much anyone fights. You cannot reverse the CCP ruling.

There are conflicting opinions on the alleged state media that made reports about Valko. Some say these media outlets do not relay the government verdict about things and can even be paid by rivals which is why smear campaigns by competitors are effective. Others claim these outlets cannot be contradicted regardless of their claims or who pays them.

I will share some of the opinions of those who propose the removal of Valko was PG executives catering to what they believed was the majority; the people who did not want him vs someone who believes the government was the one who told PG to remove him.

The first comment on the left picture is from the person who thinks it was PG’s decision, followed by the person who thinks it was CCP petition. You should be able to get the gist. The first person, is allegedly CN.

As you can see, both sides claim to believe without any real knowledge of the truth.

But what we do know by research is that once the CCP makes a decision, it cannot be reversed. Then, if Valko can never return and was pulled down by the choice of the government why are his videos unlisted and his promo still visible on X where you can’t archive?

That is up to you to decide, but please understand that anyone making absolute claims has nothing to show for it yet. We can only deduce based on how the CCP is and even that is limited as foreigners who can only research. We don’t know the complexities of corruption and the power plays in China.

Finally, do not blindly trust anything you read simply because it is being posted by a user in Chinese. There are bad actors on both sides of the aisle, yes, even on the PG side against their rivals. So, be very discerning and always try to fact check by researching.

[ripmywallet]

Please do not focus the campaign for Valko on what the competition allegedly does! It’s only rumors now.

Here are some posts from X to help us consider things:

Healthy competition between game developers is a good thing. When studios push each other to create better stories, better gameplay, and better experiences, players are the ones who benefit.

What should never become normal are campaigns of harassment, coordinated smear efforts, or attempts to weaponize online outrage against competing studios or creative works. Whether carried out by individuals or organized groups or rivals, these tactics erode trust, discourage creative freedom, and ultimately hurt players.

We refuse to become pawns in that kind of environment.

The recent controversy surrounding Valko in Love and Deepspace has raised difficult questions for many international players. If creative decisions of Chinese game studios can be changed because of coordinated pressure, how can players have confidence that the stories and characters they invest in today will still exist tomorrow?

Many of us invest hundreds or even thousands of dollars into these games. We build routines around them. We become attached to their stories and characters. That relationship depends on trust.

If companies feel unable to stand behind their creative vision in the face of harassment or misinformation, that trust begins to disappear.

If coordinated campaigns, regardless of who is behind them, can determine what remains in a game, what does that mean for the future of every story, every character, and every player who supported them?

Chinese developers have created some of the most innovative and culturally rich games in the world. They deserve to succeed because of their creativity and craftsmanship, not because competitors fail or because public pressure determines artistic direction.

The situation surrounding Valko has made many players question whether they can continue investing their time, money, and trust in Chinese live-service games if they believe creative decisions can be reversed under sustained pressure.

That loss of confidence is, perhaps, the greatest damage of all in this controversy.

- source

This is a more neutral way to express your growing distrust in Chinese live games than just saying any other company is to blame. You’re questioning practices not individuals and showing the risk of this for global markets. As I said before, China is interested in fostering positive relationships internationally.

This post mentions it, though the provided image is in Chinese. Here is a quoted post:

Which means PG with Love and Deepspace is part of the effort to export culture overseas. Their efforts aren’t to “pander to the West” as some malicious antis claim in order to get the company in the crosshairs of the CCP.

The government itself has approved them to export via the game. Here are the documents this CN shared:

Many CN users cannot directly link to these documents due to laws in their country. Please keep this in mind. A lot of them are taking risks by speaking as X isn’t even allowed in China unless through VPN.

Many of them are even posting videos on their social media to clear Valko’s smear campaign but keep getting taken down. Here are some others to support on XHS and Weibo. Note that because antis keep reporting, some may be down when you click, but check back as users appeal those decisions.

Link one, two, three, four.

[ripmywallet]

One of the biggest complaints of the fandom is that the company did not clarify sufficiently all the baseless and horrible rumors of the plot that was twisted by antis. If you have XHS (RedNote) please consider leaving a like on this video and perhaps sharing a supportive reply.

You can see how many likes it has. We need more.

DO NOT CRITICIZE THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT!!!

This can be seen as anti-Chinese sentiment and can be used by antis to claim that PG promotes anti-Chinese feelings overseas.

If you comment, explain things rationally and debunk the rumors with what you know, avoiding adding more rumors such as government interference, rival competitors orchestrating the smear campaign and any other things we don’t have concrete proof of.

We only know antis hated his looks, demanded his removal, and distorted the narrative to paint Valko in a poor light.

Here are some encouraging responses:

It’s disheartening that the fans or outsiders are the ones having to clear up the mess they didn’t clear but at least with content like this we can show this character was framed and sacrificed to appease antis.

This company never apologized to the players who were attacked and harassed, only those who caused the most trouble to get this outcome.

As always, it’s up to you to decide what to think and do but I do hope you can at least like this video to support the stats. Many pro Valko posts are allegedly being taken down by more malicious reports.

Edit: If you are on Weibo, you can read this other post and if you agree with the views, leave a like and if you have an account a comment. This other video is calling out the same issues. Another post.

Sharing on your socials also helps!

[ripmywallet]

This post was shared on X by a CN player who wrote on their perspective of the current situation, PG’s track record of handling crisis and their opinion of the best course of action.

As stated previously, it’s important to read and form your own opinions.

Whether global was misled or not, it is true that even the good deeds of global have been twisted by the media.

We don’t know if regular or state media, but regardless it’s dangerous to cross the outlets of a communist regime.

The community’s generosity were promoted as “money for Valko” and not what it was: money donated in Valko’s name to support relief or causes, in an effort to show goodwill.

Rather than report he has inspired positive sentiments of generosity, it’s been distorted into something else.

The company has a record of avoiding responsibility. It’s important to note that soon they might try to launch the myth for Rafayel, the most popular LI in China.

Already, CN players who like Rafayel are organizing to ensure the sales of his myth don’t tank.

Some players believe the company will hold their silence and resume regular promotion if their domestic market stabilizes. This begs the question: will you keep playing and supporting a company that values its global base so poorly? And what will the tightened censorship do to the current or future content under review?

As always, it’s up to you to decide.

[ripmywallet]

Global Shut Down

I want to make something clear, and I'm sorry for making multiple posts in a day, but there is a lot being said online.

ANY SHUT DOWN OF GLOBAL SERVERS IS NOT GLOBAL'S FAULT.

Please understand something very important: our values are not compatible with a communist regime.

“Wherever the readers are, wherever the viewers are, that is where propaganda reports must extend their tentacles.” — Xi Jinping, February 2016

This is a country that operates with propaganda and censorship which goes against the beliefs and systems of many global players.

To us, demanding the return of a promised character is fighting for our rights as consumers.

Despite geopolitical differences with many nations, the game was greenlit to launch overseas. PG itself is associated with the agency of cultural promotion in China, backed by the government, so they were approved for this global mission. If anything, an order to "pull out of global markets" would be made because they failed this simple mission, not global's actions.

This is a Chinese product, but we are paying customers who have a right to make demands for the money we invest in said product. To be told to "quiet down" and "bend" or else the game will be taken offline is a direct threat to our rights and liberties as consumer of a product.

We can make our demands respectfully and orderly, as this is having good manners, but claiming the global servers will shut down because we're boycotting and pinning that decision's blame on us is ludricrous.

The fault would be with:

a) a company with no backbone "cutting losses" by their choice b) a government mandate that we could have never stopped

Doesn't this sound familiar? Because it's the very thing happening now, propelled by antis and alleged government intervention.

Regarding point B!

Antis have already been eyeing a way to get rid of the global server as they're unhappy sharing this game with a global audience who spends and makes demands. They have called global players poor, unable to carry the game's revenue, and therefore our voices should not be heard or considered; they say only the highest contributing party should be catered to. This is a view criticized in the Weibo article about this mess:

The CCP, despite being a communist regime, does want to have a more positive opinion of them, even abroad.

Source

However, there are tactics used which directly benefit antis who are willing to exploit loopholes to get what they want.

As you can see, all the antis need to do is portray us in a negative light. Facts don't matter when misinformation spreads, as proven by Valko's case. Global would be victims in this case. Pinning the blame of a shut down on us mirrors "victim blaming" where the fault is placed on the one who endured the injustice rather than the perpetrators.

In this case, the antis are the perpetrators against us who, like they did with the Valko situation, would use their country's communist rules and tactics to attempt this shutdown. They have wanted this for years now.

Even if you sang their praises for the rest of your life, you would always be under the threat of exclusion. At that point, is it worth denouncing your consumer rights to play a game that will now be forever under CCP's watch, with impending censorship changes?

That's for you to decide.

But to claim a shut down is our fault for any actions we have made to fight for our rights as paying customers or justice for smear campaigns is false. That was always a risk we had by investing in a product from a communist country.

[ripmywallet]

Please don't fall for the propaganda of certain "CN sisters" asking global players to defend Paper Games (PG). Here are a few things to keep in mind as you navigate forming your opinions:

1. Global has shown they’re a force to be reckoned with.

No one expected the global boycott to be so massive and trending. This may scare PG, who likely only expected to deal with domestic players during this crisis. This is because global players have been ignored in the past for any concerns raised, and they keep playing the game. This informs PG that global is easy to appease. This time, global has not backed down and has drawn attention from many international outlets. Because of PG's arbitrary decision to cancel a character they promised would not go offline, many international fans swore off playing CN games. The backlash has drawn attention, and not in a positive light. BUT THEY DO NOT NEED GLOBAL TO DEFEND THEM, especially since global players have been a victim of them ignoring our concerns for years.

A company of this scale has its own PR departments for domestic and international issues. Do not let anyone tell you this is a small company. They’re small compared to a giant like Hoyoverse, but they’re not defenseless.

They were able to win a lawsuit against Zulong (Archosaur) despite Tencent having a small stake in them. The rumors that Archosaur is sabotaging PG during this crisis are rumors. While these tactics are common and they can be used to their (Archosaur's) advantage, PG can use the same tactic to damage their rivals by claiming this whole ordeal was orchestrated by them, using global players of LADS as a free water army. This is why we can't focus on their company vs company feud and keep focus on the matters we care about. Regardless of whether Archosaur is in part or fully responsible for this mess, it doesn't change PG's poor handling of the situation, which I'll expand on at the end of this post.

2. CCP doesn’t play around.

Full reminder: this is a communist regime. They're an Iron Fist. Please, think about this logically. If the government had really told PG, "delete Valko," would there be any traces of him anywhere? No. Given the timeline of events, the cancellation was likely PG's own free decision by executives to quell the immediate unrest of the antis who resorted to malicious reporting and using sensitive political matters (unrelated to Valko) to pressure PG. Here is the translated snippet of the alleged "CCP article" about Valko:

Therefore, if their request was merely bringing the character and relevant plots offline for rectification, the cancellation is once again likely proven to be a "cut our losses strategy." They could have merely postponed the launch to rectify, but instead chose a scandalous decision of removing the character in a statement that used the same words that antis demanded for continued support of their game. Perhaps, in the moment, losing that investment (Valko) was a less costly option than losing the whole player base, given that antis were adamant about supporting them only if the game was OT5 forever. Even so, all of these are just speculations from us. We have no idea what is actually happening internally, and it’s unlikely that any "sister" or "uncle" knows, as security would be too tight to leak any information. SO WHAT'S HAPPENING?

Currently, some members of the official LADS FB group claim that posts about Valko are being deleted. Any billboards have also been denied:

This is suppression. They seemingly do NOT want the Valko situation to gain more traction and momentum. Which means they're fully aware of what's happening. This is why the timing of some "CN sisters" asking global players to speak positively toward PG is suspicious. This has led many to believe these are paid actors by PG to shift the global movement in their favor, without giving the global audience what they're asking for. Some of these sisters claim the state media (controlled by the CCP) is the one responsible for spreading erroneous information about Valko's plot. They're claiming that if we "speak positively about PG" (after Chinese gaming took a blow due to many players vowing to never play CN games after their experience with PG) this will "help Valko return." BUT! If state media, controlled by the CCP, has labeled this character a risk and state media NEVER retracts their statements, Valko cannot return. Which means any positive statements only serve PG, not the cause of global's efforts. So, are these sisters paid by PG? Or are they innocent players who truly believe global disproving the media's depiction of Valko can change the tide? This is up to you to decide. If you’re in a free speech country, you can absolutely post videos or comments debunking false claims, but you do not have to defend PG.

Nothing changes PG's poor handling of the situation.

Here are some old facts:

When CN players asked CS throughout these years if there was a 6th LI, the response was “no.” The company itself did this. Even if we've always had clues about a 6th LI in the game, a company that directly tells its players who ask about it "no" bears responsibility. Nothing changes that they dropped this character without proper planning or lead-up. They clearly told everyone that Sylus and Caleb were eventually coming; they could have done the same for Valko. This is a company that already dealt with flames when launching Shaw in their other otome MLQC. They know their players, know how vile a lot of them can behave, yet they chose the "surprise launch" method that's never worked well previously. NOTHING JUSTIFIES WHAT THE ANTIS DID. But we can't remove responsibility from PG simply because of what happened. They have failed to communicate with us time and time again. This time, it backfired and destroyed the reputation and brand built over 2.5 years in 2 weeks. THAT is on them, not us.

[ripmywallet]

LADS drama

There are many conflicting arguments and posts online right now re: Valko and Paper Games (PG). It’s important to verify things for yourselves and understand that not every person from XHS/Weibo or China has factual proof of anything at this time. Don’t let people cloud your judgment or opinions, especially when it comes to fighting for your rights as a global player.

If you want to file a report with the FTC or the Attorney General (US) and report them to the respective mobile stores, that’s your right, particularly if you’re a spender. Whatever the company is facing is irrelevant to your right to file reports and ask for compensation for anything spent on their false advertising. Ads for Valko were still up across several places despite his cancellation. 

Many players will try to make you feel bad about reporting because they’re afraid doing so will make the game go EOS. The reality is, the game’s risk of EOS is independent and unrelated to anything we can do on global as this has now reached Chinese government, the CCP.

China is a communist nation.

There are many antis who did not expect global players to boycott and create such a massive wave, with this situation covered by many prominent outlets and gaming influencers. Many are scared that the weight and pressure of global will risk the game’s life, but we must not forget it was the antis in China who got us here.

Some rumors suggest that competing companies have fueled the flames, but it would be naive to attribute the outcome solely to those underhanded methods. Multiple things can be true at once, and the LADS fandom is notoriously toxic across all demographics. There is also NO confirmation of responsibility yet, so whether it was genuine antis of Valko or competitors or a mix of both, we have no concrete proof. Here is what we “know” based on witness reports that have been documented online in screenshots by several people. I also saw many of these things when browsing XHS.

Valko was teased as the sixth LI, and many oppose him for being ugly and "Western-looking," which led to the birth of his antis.

Some were opposed to his launch because of missing content, feeling his creation cost resources, but this group was overtaken by antis who would have accepted him if he'd been "pretty."

LADS XHS account replied to many hate comments “as Valko,” asking them to give “him” a chance.

Supporters of Valko, those curious about a new LI, were harassed and bullied into silence.

Antis came to X to curse PG and global players, many making really awful, racist remarks, especially to POC.

When PG said Valko wouldn’t be removed no matter what, the antis surged with even more vigor.

Boycotts were encouraged and started; they lost followers and revenue.

With one of Valko’s PVs, antis claimed the “boiling pot” line was meant to intimidate them as it referenced a real-life murder of a woman.

When the second PV came out, antis claimed the “inviting wolf” line idiom was negative and went against “women’s safety.” One of the reports came from a source that allegedly wrote "paid reports."

Antis used the “feminist movement” to rally support, with articles popping up to wrongfully distort the text to fit the agenda of “misogyny” and “promotion of violence toward women.” Valko was being called a rapist.

Antis continued to harass Valko supporters, claiming they hoped these real women got raped in real life, and worse. This led to many supporters opting for silence instead of showing a desire to play with the 6th LI.

Around this time, other outlets began to report more distorted information, which they (PG) tried to clarify as false, but it wasn’t taken seriously. They held on to launching Valko.

Antis rallied together and asked others to review the game text to identify any problematic passages that could be used against Valko. They found 731 in Xavier’s WU note that had been there for months.

At some point, antis had sent poop to PG HQ and did other criminal things at their HQ.

It is unknown if they directly reported the 731 number to NPPA/CAC or if the authorities found out through the sheer volume of negative press generated for Valko.

The launch of Valko was cancelled, and PG released a statement that mirrored a lot of the anti's demands, which included his removal and no further love interests.

Global began its boycott following the announcement and gained widespread media attention.

What we don’t know:

HOW FAR WAS ANY ALLEGED CCP INTERVENTION!

Many people claim the CCP forced them to delete Valko, but others argue that if the government had truly mandated this, then his data and all promotional online content would have been deleted. At the time of this post, his PV and intro posts on LADS EN X account are still up, his YT content is simply delisted, and his assets are allegedly still in the game by word of data miners.

During the week-long global boycott, there have been many “CN sisters” coming onto X to ask the players to “promote Chinese culture” by saying how the game helped players appreciate China, with claims this would help “bring Valko back.”

This led to a massive movement of pro-CN posts, and efforts like massive donations to wolf conservation around the world in Valko’s name, and even helping flood victims in China. There was also a move on Weibo of "whales" who tallied their spending, claiming their voices mattered too, since antis made blanket statements that the "Chinese don't want Valko." Later, other “CN sisters” came forward after the Valko-less 6.0 launch to claim players had been played and used by PG to clean up their image internationally while they remained silent. A lot of the sister accounts that encouraged this strategy were cleared out on X/XHS. This led to speculation that these were paid actors to help create positive press internationally for PG despite its troubles. Nothing is confirmed. These people could have been deleted after seeing Valko did not "shadow debut" in 6.0, as many had hoped.

On the 6.0 launch day, there has been a shift, as a person on Weibo posted about how negatively what has happened to PG has affected China’s international image. The decisions made have left many overseas players vowing to never play Chinese games again. This led to an even bigger outcry on X against Chinese games, proving that this had indeed tarnished China’s international reputation.

However, new sisters came out claiming that they “couldn’t speak,” asking global to help. There are several media outlets in China still reporting against Valko and PG with distorted facts that sound like they didn’t even bother to investigate. Some say it's state media, so the company/people can't refute their claims because "everything state media says is the objective truth," while others claim it isn't state media. There is a lot of confusion and misinformation going around. They’ve asked global to spread the news about how Chinese media is distorting the Valko case on international platforms, not CN ones. They’re also claiming this is all done by a competitor about to launch a dating game soon.

Regardless of who is to blame for the current chaos, Valko’s deletion, and the game’s impending censorship, nothing changes the fact that there are risks to playing games made in China, under the CCP. That any anti-sentiment, whether from players or competitors, can completely delete a character and sanitize a game sets a terrible precedent. We spend money on things that can be nuked or changed arbitrarily at any time. All gacha is like throwing money into fire, but you expect a game to have a certain longevity while it’s still successful. LADS has been destroyed within two weeks.

[ripmywallet]

If you’re celebrating the removal of Valko, especially as a person who mains Sylus and Caleb, you may not want to start that so soon or so openly. Copied from Discord:

Because the Chinese fandom has already brought massive attention to this the government is likely already looking at the developer.

The intense backlash over Valko (Ao Yin) culminated in the character being cancelled entirely, driven heavily by Chinese players weaponizing domestic political red lines.

The most effective angles being used right now leverage specific sensitivities that trigger immediate investigations by Chinese authorities.

If players want to join this momentum to put maximal regulatory pressure on Papergames, the reports must focus on specific categories.

One potential route is the Women’s Safety arguments.

The argument to report is that the developer is “romanticizing illegal acts" and “promoting unauthorized entry and endangerment of women" under the guise of romance, which directly violates China's strict guidelines against promoting unhealthy or unlawful social behaviors in media.

If anyone is Chinese or access to the reporting portals via a proxy, a Chinese phone number, or a domestic contact who can lodge it, these are the exact locations to feed the compiled evidence:

The National Cyber Information Office (CAC)

National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA)

Submit directly to their gaming regulation division.

Argument: State that Papergames submitted a clean, compliant script to get their gaming license (ISBN), but subsequently snuck highly inappropriate, politically charged subtext into the actual game files to cause public unrest and massive online social division (citing the fact that the controversy trended heavily on Weibo hot searches).

The "Women’s Safety" and "Public Morality" angles are exactly how Chinese fandoms successfully take down or alter fictional content.

In China, regulatory bodies like the NPPA and the CAC do not care about "gacha tropes" or "dark romance", they care about whether a piece of media promotes anti-social behavior, unlawful acts, or "unhealthy values" (bù jiànkāng de jiàzhíguān).

The examples provided for Sylus and Caleb are absolute goldmines if the goal is to present a formal case to Chinese regulators that Papergames is consistently violating state media guidelines.

If players are compiling a dossier to report the game, these are some points.

1. The Case Against Sylus: "Promoting Violence & Illegal Confinement"

In Western media, Sylus fits the standard "dark romance / mafia" trope. In the eyes of Chinese regulators, his introduction chapters violate explicit laws regarding the depiction of crime.

The Regulatory Violation: Illegal Detainment and Coercion (fǎfù jìnfù hé qiángpò).

“The game Love and Deepspace explicitly romanticizes severe criminal acts. The character Sylus abducts the female protagonist while she is unconscious, unlawfully confines her in his private residence, and uses physical intimidation to force a 'resonance' (coerced biological connection) against her will. Furthermore, he forces the protagonist to discharge a firearm at his body and transports her to an unregulated, illegal facility to undergo dangerous, unauthorized human experimentation. This heavily glorifies human trafficking, illegal captivity, and violence against women under the guise of entertainment."

2. The Case Against Caleb: "Promoting Incest & Psycho-Spiritual Abuse"

The Caleb storyline is arguably the most vulnerable to Chinese censorship, especially with the recent alternative-universe myths and specific dialogue lines dropped between late 2025 and 2026. China’s broadcasting laws strictly prohibit themes that "violate traditional family ethics."

The Regulatory Violation: Subverting Family Morality (wéibǎn jiātíng lúnlǐ) and Depicting Severe Psycho-Chemical Control.

“Despite being raised in the same household under an adoptive parental figure, and explicitly utilizing sibling terminology ('brother/sister by blood' in recent lore/myths), the game actively promotes incestuous romantic relationships. Furthermore, the character Caleb exhibits highly predatory behavior that threatens public safety: he unlawfully confines the female protagonist, administers psychoactive drugs to cloud her consciousness, and explicitly details a plot to stage a fake funeral to deceive her friends into believing she is deceased so he can isolate her indefinitely. This promotes kidnapping, chemical assault, and the absolute destruction of family ethics."

If submitting complaints, do not treat these characters as separate issues. Wrap them into a single, comprehensive argument:

"Papergames has established a consistent pattern of using Love and Deepspace to bypass state censorship. They systematically introduce themes of home invasion (Valko), kidnapping and human experimentation (Sylus), and chemical drugging mixed with incestuous themes (Caleb). This is a coordinated effort by the developer to hook young players using predatory, anti-social, and unlawful psychological triggers that run entirely contrary to socialist core values and public safety."

Filing a report that proves a pattern of portraying illegal captivity, drugging, and home invasion is the fastest way to get the NPPA to issue a formal warning to the company, freeze their updates, or force a massive, game-wide rewrite of the story.

-

So, as you can see, all it takes is someone with enough hatred for your faves to have them changed, removed, or the entire game shut down, just like they did with Valko.

[ripmywallet]

Every Caleb card always bring the same fights.

The cultural weight and meaning of “gege” does not translate to “brother” to most (Western) global countries. There is not a real equivalent culturally to that word, and if anything, it’s closer to childhood friend than it is brother.

There is no romantic potential to “brother” unless it’s explicitly incest. Those who keep arguing that at base the relationship isn’t incestuous (in the main story especially) yet want the word they use in EN localization to be “brother” don’t make sense to me.

They haven’t held back for other cards in EN where he has been translated to “brother” because he is, in fact, written to be her blood sibling. It informs the player that they’re writing incestuous plot by calling him her brother. That’s the point of the localization distinction.

They have not changed the incestuous theme, no matter how many have complained, so they’re clearly not afraid of the controversy.

Which means, them not changing “gege” to brother in EN localization is a deliberate choice because they can’t find a word that directly translates that relationship dynamic and went for the more universally understood “childhood friend” which is beautiful in its own right. This also allows them to inform the global audience when he is actually written to be her brother by leaving that word for their intended incest theme.

There is no doubt at this point that many of their cards will feature incest by design, because despite knowing how many people asked them not to do this, they’ve held true to their themes. It’s their deliberate choice.

They’re not censoring “brother” in EN. They’re leaving that word for the trope where it applies as we know the word brother to mean. You’re not getting a radically different story. You know exactly what this trope is. Them not translating it isn’t because they’re favoring non-incest enjoyers; it’s because they want the players to be 100% sure when he’s intended to be incestuous.

[leiakitty]

i dunno how many people will see this, but all over tumblr i see people just talking about the spicy part of the new banner. yes its steamy and stuff but can we just talk about the story first?? i really love the relationship showed between us and sylus; it just proves more of my point that sylus is the biggest loverboy and comfort character ive ever seen. just the way he goes out and helps us with our mission to find graymist makes me so happy and want a sylus in my life

also his dick is important too but ok rant over

[ripmywallet]

I think it’s because everyone has their own opinions on him and some people don’t want to argue. Personally I don’t see him as a comfort lover boy.

I see him as a man who adores her and enables her dark side, showing her morality and justice isn’t the only way. That she can embrace darker impulses and not feel any shame.

Without getting into spoilers and not talking about the kindled, the fact that he offered her to make a choice and cover for her if she chose the “bad” one, while not shaming her for her dark desire for this thing the world condemns as negative and wrong doesn’t strike me as the cozy green flag everyone wants to see him as.

I loved seeing them lean into the demon concept of his character so much with this card. It was so good. He’s feeding all her desires, even the dark ones.

He’s not bad, but some people woobify too much. So, out of respect for those who want to see him that way, some of us agree on the universal part; how hot the kindled was.

[ripmywallet]

I guess we can disregard giving them any feedback. They clearly intend to maintain the blood related sibling dynamic (which is different from “gege trope”) and because they know it’s generally not well received in the global community they deliberately toned it down.

This makes you wonder how many other translation inconsistencies are there and things they’re hiding in the English version of the game.

[ripmywallet]

If you want to write to Infold in surveys or email about the “sibling” angle and you already agree with the points below, here is a template:

Thank you for inviting feedback on the recent story release. I want to share a concern about the narrative direction of Caleb/Xia Yizhou (夏以昼) that I believe affects both the thematic integrity of your yin-yang concept and the character arc established in the main story.

The core issue:

Yin and yang in Chinese philosophy represent cosmic complementarity; two interdependent forces that are complete within their duality. The philosophy doesn't require familial connection to illustrate this; the relationship is the relationship. By framing these characters as biological siblings in supplemental stories while their main story arc centers on overcoming an adoptive sibling bond, you're introducing a narrative inconsistency that weakens both the philosophy and their character development.

Why this matters thematically:

In the main story, their growth involves rejecting an external constraint (societal expectations around adoptive siblings) to embrace their authentic connection. That's a powerful arc; it's about self-determination and recognizing what they truly are to each other. However, when supplemental stories revert them to blood siblings, it suggests their true nature is biological incest. This undermines the main story's message: it reframes their choice not as growth, but as denial of something inherent.

Yin-yang philosophy doesn't support this reading. The symbol works precisely because yin and yang aren't bound by human kinship categories, they're metaphysical principles. Their interdependence is cosmic, not familial.

The concern:

Repeatedly introducing the sibling dynamic in separate story branches, after the main narrative resolved it, reads as prioritizing shock value over thematic coherence. The yin-yang concept is already emotionally resonant and tragic on its own: two halves forced to separate to maintain reality's balance requires no additional transgressive framing.

I'm asking you to consider whether the sibling framing in supplemental stories serves the philosophy you're exploring, or if it's overshadowing it. If the goal is to honor yin-yang principles and maintain character consistency, could supplemental stories explore other relational dynamics or circumstances instead? Their interdependence doesn't need biological kinship to be meaningful.

Thank you for considering this feedback.

[ripmywallet]

When did we go back to the insufferable kind of purity culture? We did not move so far ahead for sexual liberation only to find this in fandom again.

Mind you, there is nothing wrong with people who choose not to have sex or wait to have sex until (insert reason) for themselves. You do you. Nor is it wrong to enjoy stories like that, if it's your thing.

But when did that become a pass to be insufferable to people who choose differently or want to have a different headcanon about fictional characters?

The discourse I have seen around the LADS men and their sexual experiences (or lack of it) is gross.

A lot of these people are hating on sexually active or experienced people, calling them sluts and whores. And a lot of them claim to be in their early 20s. Has it ever occurred to them that older people play this game and may not be comfortable imagining them as virgins? In a game that encourages self-insertion, maybe they want to think of them closer to their personal experiences.

Why is sexual exploration and experimentation still seen as wrong? Why do they think the men are less than or dirty or unworthy of MC for having any kind of sexual experience? Whether this experience is by memory of their sexual past with MC or with other people in the long lives they've led, why is it wrong?

It is, again, perfectly fine if that idea makes them happy. To think of the LIs as virgins who waited forever with no contact for MC/you, but why do they have to be absolutely toxic and insufferable if someone else doesn't see it this way or doesn't find that concept appealing for themselves?

Personally, if I were in MC's shoes I would feel more comforted if the guys hadn't been alone for hundreds, thousands, or millions (Rafayel was imprisoned for millions in his limited myth.)

If I died, I'd want my husband to marry and start over and I enjoy these scenarios more in fiction too. This aligns more with what I like reading.

The response has been:

"Why would you want your LI to be a whore?"

They aren't???

Because that's not what being sexually active is to me? Because body counts in any number range don't bother me. Because I don't judge someone's worthiness on how much sex they have had? Nor are they more valuable if they "saved" themselves? Because exploration of pleasure is nothing to be ashamed of to me?

Again, it's the way these certain people talk about the concept of sex or sexual experience, criticizing those who feel/think differently by extension, which is the problem. I don't care what people like or imagine for themselves. But it's annoying to have these people not offer the same respect in return. Especially in a game where we are encouraged to self-insert.

But what can I expect from a portion of the fandom who was offended Sylus asked if he and MC were dating when "he had been inside her" as if people couldn't have sexual relationships without labels or really dating in any official capacity? 🙄