love is real but i'm still evil <3
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side-blog so i can reblog all things related to lads
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(blog name is an "inside" joke)
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blog is a work in progress, still setting up all the options
Find all other reports here!
Current protest info here!
Join the Discord!
Good evening wolfpack!! It's been quite a day. We'll recap, I'll go over some speculations, then I have a few messages in my inbox that I need to reply to. Today was my last day at work, so I have ample free time now!
Infold's revenue (ending the 17th at $73,762 and 5,569 downloads)
Revenue over time. Highest for CN: ~$500,000 on 6/25. Highest for global: ~$350,000 on 6/27. Lowest for CN: ~$70,000 on 6/16. Lowest for global: ~$60,000 on 6/16.
App ranking on CN iOS App Store:
The CN servers reset, and WIW is gone. No banner has replaced it. These are the current events in the game:
Here is my post from earlier on the 9m9 situation. Below is an update. Here's hoping we get some good news about a lawsuit (or an arrest) in the morning!
My Thoughts On No Current Banner
Honestly, I think it is a really good thing for several reasons.
They didn't shadow-drop content. We're fairly confident in the fact that they can't post any updates, so it's slightly comforting to know that they didn't simply throw something in the game.
Their attention is likely focused elsewhere. If they didn't implement any changes into the game, I think it's fair to assume that they have plenty of other things on their plate that require their attention.
They're not fucking up the rerun schedule even further. We're already out of order because of the WIW banner, so I'm glad that we're not straying further off track.
They didn't attempt to drop Raf's 4th myth in the midst of the most chaotic few days of our protest. They're being smartāfor once.
They're not making any drastic attempts to get people to log in. This makes me think that they finally have a plan in place.
Most importantly, banners and events are scheduled far in advance. We know that Valko was in development for at least two years, and pieces of his story have been hinted at throughout the main story. It's logical to assume that the only true way forward is with him.
Any multi-banners that they've been working on will include him, simply because his release was scheduled. The fact that they're not attempting to drop anything new tells me what we're at somewhat of a standstillāor, perhaps, a turning point.
The bottom line is that I think we're at a point where they have to realize what they're risking. It's become blatantly obvious that the ones who want Valko are the heavy spendersāI mean, the revenue reports speak for themselves. Businesses speak one language fluently and it's money. By now, we've made them well aware that our wallets are closed until Valko is reinstated.
Basically, I believe there's light at the end of the tunnel. We've found the culprits, we have enough evidence to go after them, and the support for Valko's release is as strong as ever. This isn't just hopiumāthis is genuine logic. The only way forward for Infold in terms of the game's continued success, the main story's development, the return of their revenue, and the satisfaction of their customers is releasing Valko. It doesn't take a genius to see that.
Assuming that we are correct about the reason for their silence, I think we can truly expect an answer from them at the end of July. I'm not placing all of my bets on that, but I think it's the closest thing to a checkpoint that we have. Overall, I think things are finally looking up for us in a big way.
Find all other reports here!
Current protest info here!
Join the Discord!
GOOD MORNING WOLFPACK!! I BRING GOOD NEWS!! I'm not going to make you read an intro because I have too much to say.
Morning Report 7/15/2026
CN Media
Guys...we have POSITIVE articles. Several.
And, here's the kicker: they're from STATE MEDIAāaka, not a source that can be paid off. One article was posted by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). China Reform Network has high political standing and authoritative credibility, according to CN players. Because I'm in the US, I can't access the article directly.
But! It was posted in other places. Here is a link to the article on iNews.qq, and I will include the screenshot below. Here is another link if that one doesn't work.
Guys, I really hope you understand how incredible this is. CHINESE MEDIA is shifting. STATE MEDIA.
The Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation also posted on Weibo saying, "The new character Ao Yin has not been found to violate China's regulations on game content management. Based on the evidence, it canāt be proven that 'Love & Deepspace' engaged in false advertising." Basically, they confirmed that adding a 6th LI did not violate any kind of consumer law, nor was it grounds to claim false advertising.
A CN user on X also offered some speculation on the nature of the smear campaign. Here is the link to the post and a summarized translation (which is pasted below).
In summary, what this post is essentially saying is: Anyone who engaged in rumor mongering, smear tactics, mass negativity, fake engagement or even attacks on Love or Deepspace may have themselves broken Chinese laws and regulations.
Sachi makes clear that there are Chinese regulations that prohibit: dissemination of any false information regarding a business, harming the reputation of a business, organization of malicious reviews or harassment online, use of bots, paid accounts, AI-generated posts, and "water armies" to shape public discourse, exploitation of controversies in connection with major product releases. This post further contends that an attack on a successful Chinese game with such an international following runs counter to China's very objective of exporting their cultural and entertainment content abroad.
The bottom line beingā¦if the anti-Valko campaign involves coordination, misinformation, and/or reputation attacks, then it may very well be the orchestrators of the movement who are in violation of Chinese law and policy, and not the individuals supporting the character. Again, the post is not making any claim about this having been legally established. It's simply pointing out that, based on a sufficient chain of evidence, there could be grounds for an investigation.
This is HUGE. All of this is paving the way for Infold to bring Valko back. There is light at the end of the tunnel!
HOWEVER! The war isn't won yet. Keep boycotting, keep protesting, keep being loud. The Chinese media has noticed us, and that means Infold has too. Don't stop hereāif anything, this is the time to push harder.
I want to get this report out to you as quickly as possible, so I'll include some minor updates in a smaller report in a little while. Sending my love! <3
Good evening, everyone! I am officially back home. I didn't plan on taking a road trip this weekend, but when bestie calls and says she needs you, you drop everything and go. Them's the rules.
I had hoped for a few hours of open road and Sleep Token (my beloved) at full volume, but I only got the latter. Unfortunately, I'm a wannabe speed racer with very little patience for slow drivers and traffic. (Damn, I really am a Sylus main at heart.) But anyway, I'm back and feeling better, so it's time to get down to business.
Also, there is a poll at the bottom of this report. I would appreciate your input!
6.0 Report 7/12/2026 PM
The Protest ā Global Side
We are still going strong on X! Actually, a new hashtag started trending today: #ValkoGoodestBoy. I have no idea where it came from, but I love it.
This lovely X user has compiled a thread of donation links. There are currently 28 posts in the thread, including the Wolf Conservation Center, wolf conservation organizations across Mexico, Europe, and Asia, TreeNation, Canadian women's shelters, organizations for the homeless, and many others. I'm tearing up typing this. Despite how stressful this situation has been, we have done so much good.
This lovely X user has added up the sum of our donations. We are at over $140,000, not including individual donations and symbolic adoptions. You guys...š„¹
Billboards, signs, and gatherings are still popping up all over the place. Someone in LA had a #BringValkoBack sign at a rave, a billboard went up in MexicoāValko fans are next level.
The Protest ā CN Side
Before I get into the details, let me just say I am so proud of the CN fans, and I am so grateful for their bravery. Speaking up against the media and against the norm is no small feat in China. They are a major source of hope for us.
The RedNote video (clearing the rumors about Valko) is doing INCREDIBLY well. It has been reposted by several users, and it has spread to Weibo as well. I don't have exact statistics for itāseeing as its become so widespreadābut I can confidently say it is improving the public opinion by leaps and bounds.
Speaking of Weibo, this post talks about a campaign that is currently ongoing. Here is the link to it. CN fans are clarifying the misinformation, calling for Infold to reinstate Valko, and expanding its reach through giveaways. The comments are overwhelmingly positive, talking about Valko's innocence and asking Infold to bring him back. It currently has 27k likes and over 5k comments.
Several days ago, I was reporting on the Recharge Collection started by CN playersāaka, the total amount spent by players who reported their spending. I'm unsure of how many people have contributed to it, but the total is at a whopping $15 million. Here is the link if you would like to add your own spending total to it.
Infold/LADS
Damn. That's all I can say. Thank you to this user for adding in the markers. If you'll recall the revenue chart from my previous report, there's a pattern it usually follows according to the bannersābig spike, drop, little spike, drop, repeat. That little spike right after Valko's teaser is comparatively small, but there were no other spikes after it to compensate for it. Now, yes, Infold is a multi-million dollar company, and a little drop in revenue is not going to harm them long-term, but it certainly draws attention.
According to this post, LADS currently sits at #79 overall and #45 in all games in the CN iOS App Store. This is significantly lower than it usually ranks. It's usually in the top 10 highest grossing apps. Yikes. If only there was a way fix that...
More 6.0 Bugs...
Sylus...where are you going?? š
Left one is me when I see Valko fr
I don't even...okay...
Well, she definitely summoned something. Also, why does the garden look like that? š
Okay, there's a lot going on. Let's take a breath (again). As always, I'm here to give you facts, my own speculations, and HOPIUM!
Quick note: this weekend I'll be dealing with some personal matters, so I may not be as active as I have been this past week. I will still be giving you any important or relevant information, but I may not be able to post my full reports. I am still very much here with you!
7/10/2026 AM
The Chinese Media
Like I told you last night, our protest tactic has changed. Here are all the details that I am confident in sharing:
Multiple Chinese media outlets falsely portrayed Valko as a predator who broke into MC's house and assaulted her. They are painting him as dangerous. Our TOP priority is proving that this is entirely incorrect. This post explains it very well.
Here is our strategy:
1. STAY ON US MEDIA. X, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Facebook, YouTubeāanywhere you can post! But DO NOT get on RedNote or Weibo. Leave the CN apps to the CN girlsāthey will support us however they can.
2. Refrain from contacting any major news outlets. This could escalate tensions and encourage the CCP to get involved. STAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
3. Set aside your hate forāor disappointment ināInfold for now. Antis are going to use whatever they can against us. If they see us attacking Infold, this entire thing could backfire.
4. We need to focus on two narratives: Valko is innocent, kind, and not at all dangerous to MC or the players; and that Infold helps to positively showcase Chinese culture to global players. LADS is vital to China's global initiatives because of the international player base.
5. Remain KIND, RESPECTFUL, and PEACEFUL. This is not the time to attack antis, the CN media, or Infold. Our goal is to show that Valko is a symbol of love.
So, what do we post?
Proof that the media gave false information. They clipped parts of his trailer and altered them to push their agenda. Post the full clips so that they cannot be misconstrued. Here are some links to good examples:
- This post.
- This post.
- This post.
- This post.
- This post.
- This post.
- This post.
Here are the hashtags to post under:
#VALKOWASFRAMED #VALKOISINNOCENT #BRINGBACKVALKO #BRINGVALKOBACK
If you don't have the resources to make any videos or edit any pictures, then I suggest reposting from others' profiles and adding the above hashtags. We need to be as loud as we can, and we need to work together.
Here is a general code of conduct:
What do we do about the game?
This part is debated. Some believe we should be logging in and raising ratings, others believe we should continue protesting.
Here are my two cents: I think we're fine where we are. The game still exists, they are still making money, and the bottom line of the situation hasn't changed. If you are not boycotting, that's okay. If you are, that's okay too. Our goal is to show that LADS is a positive game that should continue operating, but that we demand to have Valko's character released. I understand how confusing this can be. Trust that Infold is handling the situation on their end, and we will continue fighting as we have been for the past week and a half.
Personally, I will still not be logging into the game. I am not going to touch the ratings, nor am I going to follow LADS on social media again, but I am going to post in support of them.
How are things going?
I'm happy to report that things are going well thus far! Some of the articles have already been taken down, and we have been trending on X since last night. We ARE being noticed. CN girls are communicating amongst themselves and doing what they can to ensure our message is being heard. Remember, they have to handle the situation very delicately.
Hopium?
Always!! THIS IS NOT THE END. Remember that "rectification" was a big talking point a few days agoāNOT removal. The door for Valko is still very much open. We're most definitely looking at a delay at this point, but don't let this bring you down. If anything, let it give you hope!
Infold's silence makes MUCH more sense now. They're not purposefully ignoring usāwe know this for certain. They're facing some absolute bullshit. I can't say I blame them for the way they've handled this, honestly.
Let's go back to the timeline for a moment. June 22nd, Valko is announced. For SIX DAYS, Antis spewed nothing but hatred. Infold endured, and even defended Valko. They issued a statement saying that they would continue pursuing a 6th LI. Then, the media gets involved. Slander, false articles, horrible press. THIS is when Infold folded and cancelled Valko's release. It wasn't because they wanted toāwhat choice did they have? They were fighting a war on multiple frontsāand still are!
I said it once and I'll say it againāInfold would NOT throw away a character they spent two years developing. He is vital to the storyline. The devs poured hours of labor into him. They love him, as anyone loves something they create. As a writer, I can't imagine someone spreading such hateful things about my characters or one of my books. It had to be devastating to them.
The tide is shifting. This is our chance to make our voices be heard. Be loud! I'm about to abuse the FUCK out of my first amendment rights.
For my spiritual friends: THE CARDS ARE MAKING SENSE. Many were talking about an outside/higher influence acting as an obstacle, which would cause this struggle to be much more drawn out. The energy is still in our favor, we simply have to push through the mud. There is light at the end of the tunnel! It's just a really fucking annoying tunnel!!
My Thoughts
It's truly amazing to me how all of this has unfolded. Everything last week really was just the tip of the iceberg...and the smear campaign rumors turned out to be true. Now, let me say this: if we go through all this bullshit and Infold doesn't properly compensate us, I'm literally going to Shanghai myself. I didn't sign up to be their PR manager, but here we are.
At the end of the day, I owe a lot to this game. It helped me out of some dark times. It helped me realize my own self worth after escaping a horribly toxic relationship. It raised my standards so much that they're virtually impossible to reach.
I know none of this has turned out the way we wanted it to, but when does life ever go according to plan? We've come together as a community, we've raised thousands for charity, and we've shown just how far we are willing to go to protect the things we love. This is not the end of Valko's storyāit is only the beginning.
First of all, the angel number fits too well. I literally JUST took this screenshot after I posted my report.
Second of all:
Like I said in my AM report, we're already doing very well! Here's a post talking about the articles that have been taken down.
Here's an excel sheet talking about all of the good things we've done during the protest in Valko's honor.
Let me reiterate a few pieces of hopium that I've posted before:
Valko's coding still exists in the game! I actually saw a post where Caleb had Valko's nose. Here's the link. This was really funny to me.
You cannot use Valko or Ao Yin as a nickname in the game. This was verified by several players. The only words you cannot use as nicknames are names of LIs and NPCs.
Here's a post of CN girls gathering outside of Infold and leaving gifts for Valko. He is so very loved.
Here's a little piece of the main story that hints at Valko already being present. He's been in the background of the game for a LONG time. They're not going to simply throw him away when he's this important.
We were promised a main story update in 6.0, which hasn't released yet. Remember that Caleb wasn't released until the second patch of 3.0. Even 5.0 was split into patches: 5.0.0 on 12/31/25, 5.0.1 on 1/22/26, and 5.0.2 on 2/19/26. With this kind of schedule, we could be looking at getting Valko in late July/early August.
Infold's silence is not necessarily a deliberate choiceāthey aren't ignoring us. They're fighting a battle against the media. Allow me to remind you that "under the PRC Civil Code, companies have a legally protected reputation. If a news outlet, blogger, influencer, or another company publishes false statements that damage a company's reputation, the company can file a civil lawsuit." They may very well already be in a legal battle. We found out several days ago that police had launched an investigation into those posting hateful and malicious comments on social media. That investigation would lead them straight to these news outlets.
I know this situation has caused a lot of stress and anxiety, but I urge you to look at the situation as logically as possible.
Cancelling Valko's release was not something Infold wanted. They defended him against antis. It was the media that caused this.
We are actively helping to change the narrative surrounding Valko, and our CN sisters are helping in every way they can. Some articles have already been removed! It's only a matter of time before the truth comes to light.
Every company has a legal team, and Infold's reputation is protected by law. They have every right to pursue legal action.
I've heard a RUMOR that CN girls are also pursuing legal action against the media that spread misinformation. Let them handle things in their country, and we'll do what we can in ours.
I don't know if this will be a comfort to all of you, but it's somewhat of a comfort to me. We cannot control the situation. Learn to be okay with understanding that. We are doing everything we can, and it's enough. This situation is not our fault. Our greatest strength is our voice, and we're using it.
The truth will always prevail. Love will always overcome hate. That doesn't mean the battle will be easy or short, but the facts are on our side.
I love you all. Please take care of yourselves. Mother is off to war.
DISCLAIMER: I cannot say with 100% certainty that this is true. However, there is enough credible evidence for me to believe it.
To put it in short, we're not just battling Infold. We're fighting the Chinese media.
Here is the post. I will outline the timeline here as well. This is directly from the thread:
As confirmed by a CN native.
"state media commentary acts as a direct warning of incoming government bans."
So, that's it, then. This is what caused it. Valko was being recognized by the state media.
So why did Pro Valko ppl not go after the media for false reporting? On their socials? Why were we not instructed to?
Timeline:
June 22nd, Valko is announced. Fan Rioting pursues for 6 days straight. Company doesn't budge, continues to post normally.
June 28, 1 AM: Apology, 20-pull compensation, and a promise: every male lead's story "will not change for any reason."
It tops the overnight hot search marked ē.
Then watch the state media pressure.
June 28, 9:08 AM: Beijing News "Six Questions" rejects that apology in print. It was 8 hours old.
June 28, night: the Women's Federation's magazine ā enters hours after the PV airs
June 29: China Women's News named editorial
June 29: China Women's News AGAIN, on the 0731 defense: "fails to convince"
June 29, 8:20 PM: Guangming Daily. A central party paper.
June 30: Ban Yue Tan. Xinhua-run.
June 30, evening: Valko is cancelled. Permanently. With a promise to never add a male lead again.
And still, to this day, they are STILL going after him, with Beijing News posting ANOTHER smear article on him JUST TODAY!
Now look at PPG's attitude change. Anti's beginning riot? Didn't budge. Business as usual. Once the state media got involved? Silence. And knowing this... it makes sense. The marketing numbers didn't add up, a large portion of CN population really liked Valko. Obviously the rest of the world liked Valko.
Here is another post. I will include the screenshots from it below.
Here is a news clip posted to Weibo. THIS IS NOT FROM A GOVERNMENT ACCOUNT. On Weibo, the red V is a standard verified account. A gold V is for news, government and verified companies. This is just a random news channel, no government affiliation.
Here is a screenshot from a user on RedNote explaining the situation:
Here is a screenshot of every news outlet that has been running Anti-Valko campaigns (via this post):
So, what do we do?
Not to worry, friends! I never give info without a plan!
GET LOUD about false media in China. I mean LOUD. We have to change the narrative. Everything they are spreading is complete slander. This is where the sexual assault and predator allegations against Valko are stemming from. They're taking clips of his trailer fully out of context and changing the story entirely.
Contact US news outlets. Here is a link to the NYT. I will work on getting other resources for you.
Infold is fully capable of bringing a lawsuit against these media outlets. "Under the PRC Civil Code, companies have a legally protected reputation. If a news outlet, blogger, influencer, or another company publishes false statements that damage a company's reputation, the company can file a civil lawsuit." I am hoping that their current silence is because they are taking legal action. I'm not sure how likely that is, but my fingers are crossed.
Be louder than the media. Fight back. Change the narrative. This is vital if we want to bring Valko back.
This does not mean stop the boycott. We do not need to give any money or support to Infold. We're still posting #bringbackvalko, we're still going after them, and we are still NOT logging in.
Posting under #ValkoWasFramed, as far as I know. As soon as I have more information, you will be the first to know.
Folks are saying that thereās team members messaging folks on burner accounts saying their hands are tied and that Valko isnāt coming back, devs writing goodbye letter to Valko, but Iām so stupidly full of hope. Thereās so much misinfo going around at any given time that I want to hear from InFold themselves. Acknowledge us. Own up to your mistakes. Thereās no way they can ignore this outcry from literally ALL OVER THE WORLD and still have the audacity to go through with his cancellation.
Sorry for the small rant, Iām just OWJDIDODO right now and I just want to believe thereās some kind of hope in all this.
This is not directed at you Anon, but this is genuinely the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.
I mean this respectfullyāplease use your common sense when seeing posts like that.
We cannot verify that those burner accounts belong to Infold devs.
We cannot determine who is an anti and who is a supporter when it comes to those posts. They could be completely fabricated.
I do not trust any post on social media that does not give a verifiable source. Show me proof and I'll believe you, otherwise, filing it under "never heard of it" (thank you Sylus for the quote).
Put yourself in a dev's shoes. Your company is dealing with a global boycott and protest, two different sides of a protest at home, possible legal intervention, a new update, and moreāare you really going to go on social media and text some random ass fan? No.
Trust in the facts. Do not interact with misinformation. Question everything. Verify everything. Focus on what still exists.
Do not let some random rumor destroy your sense of hope.
as with everything else recently, iām taking valkoās āstory leaksā and āpersonality leaksā circulating currently with a grain of salt. so much gets lost in translation, and so many false posts get touted as truth and circulated irresponsibly, for one reason or another.
at the risk of sounding lame, it actually makes me really sad when one person says they heard or saw something from an anonymous, uncited source, and then that information spreads like a wildfire. this is all across twitter, and other spaces as well, iām sure, and it undermines research and media literacy so terribly badly.
itās fun to imagine valko and i wonāt stop doing so, but i also wonāt stop asking that information be shared responsibly. it is so much more important and integral to critical thinking than some people realize.
Wow, okay, good morning everyone! I think I gained almost 200 followers overnight?? š Thank you all for being here!
We have a lot to go over this morning, so let's just get started from the tippy top.
7/9/2026 8:45 AM CDT
Reminders
First and foremost, this is a kind, respectful, peaceful space. I will not tolerate any aggression or rudeness towards any person, group of people, or towards Infold. I'm here to give you information and hopium. This situation is stressful enough without adding negativity into the mix.
I do not have all the answers! I made logical assumptions based on the information I have. Without a statement from Infold, nothing can be 100% confirmed. Please take everything with a grain of salt, and use your critical thinking skills to draw your own conclusions.
I do not have substantial knowledge on coding or game development. I have a marketing degree and I currently work as a legal secretary. I am much more comfortable making assumptions about those particular topics, but I will gather as much information as I can about the situation as a whole.
I see all of your messages in my inbox, I promise! I will respond to as many as I can throughout the day.
Recap of Last Night
Yes, last night was a lot. But let me give you a very brief overview before we move into everything else.
"Coming soon" was removed. THIS IS NOT A BAD THING! This has also happened before! Here's a post with an explanation.
Valko's information remains fully intact. His WU story is the same as it was before the update, and the text messages from the Hunter's Association are still there. Here's my post with proof.
6.0 Updates
Glitches on glitches on glitches. Bugs everywhere. For example...
Not only that, but the bursts are glitchingāspecifically the myth bursts, from what I've seen. Limbs everywhere, discoloration, laggingājust a whole mess. The best explanation for this is that the devs had already added Valko's coding into the game, but chose not to release it with the current patch. Now, I don't know much about coding, but I do know that if one line is messed up, the whole thing is messed up.
I've received many messages saying that Valko's Discord channel and role were deleted. His channel was only hidden/archived, but the role was removed. I know this might seem like a step backwards, but I think of it differently. If Valko is coming back, he'll likely face a completely new announcement and reintroduction. I wouldn't take this as a major loss.
This post on X provides a detailed explanation of the changes, glitches, and bugs from a game development perspective. I found it very helpful!
Speculation
Some are speculating that certain cards are being censored. I cannot confirm or deny this. However, in my opinion, most of the "changes" seem to be glitches rather than intentional changes. We'll know more as time goes on.
This timeline feels incredibly strange. Valko was announced on June 22nd. Infold insisted that he was here to stay on June 27th. They cancelled his release on June 30th. That's a really quick switch-up. There are definitely a lot of factors involved in this that we don't know about. Here's a post covering the timeline of events.
Here's a post speculating on the CCP's involvement. I think it's very possible, especially given the fact that we haven't received any kind of statement from Infold. If the government/law is involved, they are likely unable to say anything at all.
The possible CCP involvement is what brings me to my next point. I do not believe we're being ignored by Infold. If that were the case, they would have addressed the CN players and not globalābut they didn't. They only announced the cancellation of BW2026 to them because it takes place in Shanghai. The cancellation of the JP event was only announced to JP players. I don't think we're being ignored, I think Infold is literally barred from making a statement.
Protest Updates
We have a billboard in Hong Kong!
Those of you in or around NYC...
Thanks to a user on X who's been keeping count, I can confirm we are at around 4.8 MILLION posts in support of #bringvalkoback. We've been trending for 9 days straight!
According to this post, global players account for 52% of LADS's revenue. We have enough influence to make demands. Don't stop fighting!
CN girls on RedNote are begging us to keep making noise. They want Valko as much as we do! Keep going, friends!!
LADS is ranking REAL low on the charts. Like...REALLY low. Here's a post.
We are moving back to emailing Infold, as well as participating in the total boycott and protest today (info linked above). Here is my resources document, which contains all the info you'll need to email them!
Notes Do NOT log into the game. We need to affect their DAU metric (daily active users) Unfollow on social media (Instagram, X, TikTok, etc.
As always, I'll update you as soon as I have more information. I'll also be giving you a healthy dose of hopium in a little bit! Sending my love <3
Someone on discord explained the removal of the "coming soon"
THIS!!
I've told a few people this already. "Coming soon" was always just a placeholder for the next LI's icon. If they had already added Valko's, then removed it, they likely just never added "coming soon" back.
Keep in mind, NOTHING ELSE pertaining to Valko or his storyline has been removed from the game. The texts are intact. The WU chapter is intact. The lily of the valley picture in the desk feature is still there.
Valko's YouTube videos still exist. All of his content on X still exists. His theme song is still out. He still appears on the TikTok gaming page of LADS's account.
Valko is everywhere. They haven't made any attempt to clean the slate.
Yes, I am very emotional, yes we don't know anything, but ALSO YES infold got involved with the ccp. That's BAD. considering how they just straight up banned ao3 from china, Infold is EXTREMELY fortunate to still exist atp. (now this has me thinking that the strobe lights video that has been surfacing was actually the higher ups celebrating the company is allowed to exist stillšš)
I won't force anyone to continue this fight. it is very understandable, we've been through hell and back and hell again and never gotten any sort of response from Infold.
however, I don't think things are going to end this way, even from a business perspective. Infold KNOWS the huge loss they're about to have (and already have), HELL I'm pretty sure most people who weren't even aware of the game now know it as "the game that cancelled a beloved character" or "a game that's actively bending over backwards for bullies" and that is NOT a good reputation to have.
we have and we will hurt them where it hurts most: money. both the players boycotting the game and the players who gave up and quit are a financial loss for them. the cancellation of irl events are also a huge loss for them, so are the ressources spend into a fleshed out character.
they know what we want. they know WHO we want. but their hands are tied, so they're probably scrambling to fix things to appease ccp first, players second.
Infold is very greedy, yes, but imo there is one example in lads that proves to me they're willing to listen to player's money. I AM JUST SPECULATING BTW, but
...remember oracle of stars, guys?
I've been thinking about it from time to time, even before this boycott, ever since they started to rerun the first oracle of stars. don't you think it's odd how we've never gotten a new one? how caleb has never gotten an oracle of stars card? how there hasn't been ANY sort of event like this ever since 2025? neither the scratch cards mini-game from last year's anniversary nor a new oracle of stars? in fact, this year's scratch cards minigame seemingly has been replaced with 5 FREE crates for everyone if they just logged in and did some tasks.
I haven't seen anyone ever talk about this, so idk if I'm the first to bring it up, but... isn't that proof that Infold is willing to listen to our money? because, well, ask yourselves what reason would Infold have to remove a mechanic that's JUST there for a quick cash grab?
imo, it's because barely anyone was pulling for these events let alone dump their money into it, so they just removed it because it wasn't fiinancially lucrative for them.
think about it, if nobody called it the "oracle of scams" event and WARNED new players not to waste their gems / money on it, if more people were dumping their money into it, do you really think "I abandoned chocolate shop for micro-transaction outfits"-Infold would've stopped doing them? we had a win already that was due to our spendings (PRESUMABLY), albeit a small one
and I'm willing to believe that our global impact has had an effect on Infold, too.
guys, please. i really dont think we should be too dishearted immediately. obviously it would be nice if they had given us a sliver of info about whats going on with valko.
if you need time away, thats fine. time to process, thats fine. feel your feelings for sure!
but like, dont give up so easily?
if they are facing legal issues, and their lawyers are any good, then they are doing the right thing. a good lawyer will always tell you to shut the fuck up. saying anything at all can and will only stir up more trouble. more trouble than saying nothing.
like, again, i'm tempering my expectations about whatever may come out in the future, sure. but i also dont think it's quite right to just give up bc some things in-game changed.
on some level, we all expected this anyway. at least i did. i had hoped theyd say smth, but knew they probably wouldnt bc this whole situation has spiraled so oht of control, i dont think they thought it would come to this. i also did not think it would come to this.
unfortunately, we will just have to wait this storm out.
i know this will just sound like copium to anyone but i'm not going to jump to conclusions about anything until Infold releases an official statement
bc there has been way too much jumping to conclusions throughout this whole shitshow. and i'm sick of it
and if they ignore it, then that's that.
but right now, i'm not believing anything until i hear what they have to say. releasing a statement that has nothing to do with valko and this whole mess is a statement itself.
Hi! I really enjoy your posts and I am always looking forward to reading them.
This seemed like interesting context that I wanted to share because I get LADS news primarily from you, but this was sent to me by a fellow LADS player since I'm not on instagram.
I would like to hear your thoughts on this if I may? :)
(I concealed the account name because I don't know whose it really is and I would like to dicourage any harrasment should it befall the account holder in any way by anyone)
Hi š„°
There are many points to go through, so I hope you donāt mind that I kept this request as last š„ŗ
Abandoning their existing players
Oiā¦ there are so many various points who arenāt even connected to each otherā¦
But more than 500 days of meaningful content for all 5 is definitely wrong. We got an excellent MS update just in January. And we always got MS chapters every 6 months ( exceptions were the branches). And also a new Li is not made in a few weeks, so this isnāt really true either.
The apron thingā¦ honestly, I donāt even know why that upsets people? š but Iām not a Sylus main, so I canāt really say something about that. The carrots for Zayne, well. We miss context for that dish, maybe MC made it to tease with Zayne. Like we also have a bar where we can mix weird drinks for the boys š so maybe it belongs in that section. Saying outright it is OOC isā¦ something when there is no context.
I donāt really get why theyāre saying MS suffered and the jump to the myths? Likeā¦ huh? Also dragon and vampire were connected through that underealm thing and him being a fiend. Yes, we donāt know how he became a vampire, but I explained it for me with Sylus was cursed and this is a side effect of it? Like, there are vampire books that work with that out there. And yes, we donāt know how it connects with main story but we donāt know with most of the other guys too. We just need a little patience, the devs will explain to us in the future, like they did with GoT and Lightseeker. So š¤·š¼āāļø
Calebā¦ same as the above? Like, the myths all are a bit disconnected but we surely will get more info about it in the future. The lore overall is mysterious and messy. And I think that the devs made it like this on purpose. So, yeah, we just need to be patient, I say
2. Used areal murder case as promotion
I understand that on CN side that people jumped to that conclusion, given the mĆ¼der case was in 2024? But this was already declined by infold themselves with their officially signed document. Also, it was stated from various players that it refers to the fairytale with the three little pigs. I honestly donāt know how popular this is in CN. But I do see that this wording might indeed be a little misleading, given the circumstances. Was it intentional? I honestly canāt tell, because of what I said before. And why should they use that on purpose? Makes no sense to me.
3. Romanticized violence against women
Sorry, but this is ridiculous. Then you also have to condemn Sylus and Caleb. The OP should know this as self-proclaimed Caleb main. Performative if you ask me. Also seems some people in CN need a lesson in fiction ā reality. Even if this sentence is provocative, I bet real women would never let a stranger in their house just like that š and Valko is a literal wolfā¦. So itās a really clever word play imho. Also there is a post from a CN player who clears this up with the letters they used.
Turned historical trauma into plot device
*sigh* as a German, my eyes were twitching at the last sentence. Because a number that is tied to a historical incident is not comparable to the nazi greeting. And also, even we have no problem if dates from the nazi regime would be used in a game to show similarities. We would take it as emphasizing the horror of that gaming lore.
Indeed you often find references to WW II in games here. And nobody feels offended, because we learned the hard way how important it is to talk about it and openly work on our Trauma instead of silencing it.
For the name issue I canāt really say anything. I leave this to actual mandarin speaking people. š
5. betrayed their female player base with BL pandering
Well, when somebody thinks of wolf x rabbit of an BL ship for Valko and Xavier, the problem probably lies with them when this is their first thought š my first thought was Valko is wolf and MC the rabbit, because hunt? And such? I donāt think this is really connected š and isnāt Xavierās animal a hare and not a rabbit? But I leave that or the Xavier girlies š„°
And how do they know that infold bought that topic? Are there any evidence or is it just rumors and assumptions? Especially if Valko wasnāt even teasered ā¦ likeā¦ does anyone see the mistake here?
Soooā¦ this whole thing feels too much like reachingā¦
6. Valko feels like a rushed cash grab, not a real character
This whole paragraph had me get my eyes rolling, nglā¦ like, did the is person saw the lifestream? For me Valko did feel absolutely real after that. But I admit the first short teaser wasnāt mine either. The design also reminded me of Tekken first than anything else. But after the myth trailer, I was thinking more of DC series Green Arrow. So I say, this whole paragraph is only opinion and not really some kind of objective argument. When you try to explain something, leave your own opinion out.
Silent whispersā¦ well OP apparently has not clue about that game, because even I know that the āchocolateā skinned (*heavy eyeroll here* I smell internalized racism) character and Werwolf is named Theron and Alarik is the Sylus double ā¦ and given that Valko is probably in development since 2024 at least, who is copying who here?
Next paragraphsā¦ Iām loosing my eye balls at this pointā¦ many errors and bla bla. Sorryā¦ nonsense paragraphs. And the community already proved that Valko was planned from the beginning with all the hints that have been found in the game by now. Itās not a rushed character but a rushed judgement from OP.
What infold does is escaping responsibility:
Well nobody knows the reason behind the cancellation of Valko. Clear manipulation of opinion and spreading hate.
A clarification to the international community:
Not only do I need to gather my rolled away eyeballs but also getringxs headache from all that nonsense.
Where is the evidence that infold actively did anything to stir up trouble? After seeing that many believe global players are paid bots on XHS, I find this statements even more ridiculous š¤£
Rumor and hate spreading. Also we saw live in action and 3D how hateful their fandom can be. Infold doesnāt need to do anything, they already making it by themselves successfully š
And of course, the anger isnāt turned against globalā¦ didnāt I read about that queer players are pigs? That they hate infold making the game globally in the first place? That we are only players of second class because we donāt spend? That weāre broke and have nothing to say anyways, because it from Chinese for Chinese? And allthst other hateful stuff that especially came up after Valkoās release? That we have cheap taste that global likes his design and so on?
Summarized, this ā¦ postā¦ isnāt really an objective explanation of the situation. More an blurring rambling what they want to belive.
There is the one or other point, that might be right. But honestly the most is simple opinion.
Take it as you will. And if anyone feels offended by my words, sorry. But thatās my honest opinion after reading it. I have already seen more reasonable and really neutral written explanations on Twitter š
to preface, i'm chinese diaspora in the states, so i've had to deal with quite a lot of sinophobia throughout my entire life.
i would also like to say that i'm only keeping informed of this whole fiasco through second or third sources, so i understand that a lot of things flying around are to be taken with a grain of salt, and this is also why i won't be making any statements about what "really" happened. it's all alleged, and i'm just giving my perspective on this.
additionally, i want to make it crystal clear that i have nothing against Valko. i was actually very excited for him and was excited what he was going to contribute to the story. (and still hope Infold will rescind their decision.) especially if some of the lore implications were true (e.g., his company building the tech for Caleb's arm).
and it's easy to tell how much work the development team, the VAs, the writers, and the cosers put into Valko's character. they worked really hard, and I, too, am mad that they cancelled his release. I think it's unfair to everyone involved and I hope that at the very least, the VAs and/or cosers have it in their contract to be able to take legal action against Infold for pulling a stunt like this.
i'm responding to this because i feel like this is a very disingenuous reading of what this person is trying to say.
in summary: she's trying to get across that the (white) western fans should be directing their attention toward Infold and Infold only. not upturning their noses to ALL the CN fans just because a small minority of fans took it upon themselves to harass the company.
i keep seeing shock that there are actually a lot of CN fans now joining in #BringValkoBack brigade and it frustrates me to no end because this indicates that you generalized what this small group of people did to every CN fan. and seeing it come from white westerners, *heavy eyeroll here* I smell racism.
i'm not going to address everything line by line, but i will tackle several points:
1. murder case: oh, that case where a man murdered, chopped up, and boiled his wife was two years ago! you're still fussed about that? <-- this is what you sound like, btw. even if it wasn't Infold's intention, that doesn't invalidate the complaint. it doesn't justify the response from those specific CN fans, but it's a valid complaint. the only reason i would expect CN fans to think of European fairy-tales is because of global westernization--it's not a stretch to understand why European fairy-tales don't immediately come to mind for CN fans. all Infold had to do was apologize and move on.
2. romanticization of violence against women: sorry, but you're being very dismissive. now, I do agree that Sylus and Caleb also show red-flags, so some of this criticism is unfair to Valko. but like with the murder case, even if that wasn't Infold's intention, that doesn't make the criticism any less valid. again, it doesn't justify those specific CN fans' response, but it's still valid. you don't know how, allegedly, serious that phrase is in Chengyu. why do you get to decide how "provocative" it is? it's also your word again her word against the word of that other CN fan. and honestly, all of your are all correct! but there's no need to deride this CN fan who's just trying to help westerners understand why some CN fans were so upset about something that you guys deemed as small/unimportant.
3. historical trauma
if I had a nickle for every time a white westerner downplayed an objectively horrible time in Chinese history, I'd have two nickles. which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it's happened twice.
this isn't the historical trauma Olympics. the number they're referencing is the group of Japanese military who murdered and raped the people of China's capital city during WWII. as mentioned, they were also doing human experimentation.
did we all forget that Japan sided with the Axis powers in WWII? they did this in support of what Germany was doing to Jewish people (as well as gay and trans people). so yes, it is equivalent.
this isn't the same as a game referencing WWII, or a game that takes place in WWII, where you're playing a soldier from the Allies side. if someone made a game set in WWII and you played a soldier on the Axis side, wouldn't you be offended? if a game referenced Auschwitz in a distasteful way, downplayed the atrocities committed there, you would have every right to be offended and point that out.
because atrocities did happened there. many, many innocent people were tortured, experimented on, and killed there. this is not something to make a joke about or reference casually. it is disrespectful to make a flippant comparison.
this 0731 reference is the same. how dare you be so dismissive of this person when they're just trying to explain why that number is so painful. no one is trying to hide it or bury it away. it is common knowledge that is taught in middle school in China, not to mention they have 4 whole days dedicated to celebrating when China got free from Japan's military invasion. I was there for the 75th celebration for it. and you want to argue that they're just trying to bury their trauma?
if Infold wanted to avoid this, they would have just made shit up, not cite actual historical events where people were murdered, raped, and tortured.
4. Valko's character Infold escaping responsibility
there's is absolutely something to be said about anti-black racism in East Asia. and there is absolutely a conversation to be had about colorism, in China, but also in Europe and the U.S. I am not denying any of that.
but this conversation is not about that.
you're right, no one knows the reason behind the cancellation of Valko. so then why have I seen so many western fans demonizing the CN fans for getting Valko cancelled? not just the small group who harassed the company, but all of them? at the beginning of this whole shit-show, I saw people saying that Infold should release Valko to everyone but China. as if there were/are 0 CN fans who were/are excited to see him.
I have continuously seen this on my dash, over and over again. so who's manipulating opinions and spreading hate, here?
you read about queer players being pigs? oh yeah, where did you hear that from? can you verify your source? verify they're not a bot? can you prove that every CN fan thinks the same, or are you overgeneralizing because you the vocal minority posting about it?
you read that CN fans hate Infold for making the game global? where? can you verify that source? verify they're not a bot? can you prove that every CN fan thinks this way?
do you get it? regardless of whether or not the statement about Infold making bots to sow discord is true, you're doing the exact same thing, here. saying that your sources are more trustworthy over this person's account. when they're both equally trustworthy, which is to say, they're not.
5. global westernization
I have seen fans erase the LIs Chinese identities, claim that they're white just because they have pale skin. I have had to endure the racism of the west and erasure of the racism we face. I have had to watch, countless times, white westerners over-simplify and equate all of China to the CCP, and erase any individual identity they have that is unrelated to their government.
it's not hard to understand why the CN fans don't want their game too westernized. because the global south is continuously being westernized. is it really too much to ask that a game produced in China keep Chinese tradition and culture to share with the world?
once again, do I think that harassing the company the way that they did was right? No. It's not right anywhere.
but if a company in Scotland released a game that also happened to share their language, community, and culture more globally, would you criticize the Scottish fans if they criticized the company for sanitizing their culture for their global audience? or, because they're white and European, you would understand?
__________
what I am seeing, as Chinese diaspora, is the demonization of all the CN lads fans, even though that small group does not speak for them, as we're seeing right now. and white western fans being unduly critical and harsh, simply because it's China. if it doesn't feel like that to you, it's because you've internalized your hatred of China so much, you can't divorce it from how you view the country and its people.
āThe difference between you and your government is much bigger than the difference between you and me. And the difference between me and my government is much bigger than the difference between me and you. And our governments are very much the same.ā -- Marjane Satrapi
this person is trying just trying to help you understand that this is not a fight between global players and CN players. however misguided and opinionated it may be.
Infold is still a company. they still have the final say. and ultimately, they're the ones who made the final decisions. you all have simply applied guilt on that small group of CN players, and by extension, all CN players.
you would trust a company, in this capitalist hellscape, just because they sign their announcements with official seals over your fellow fans?
"When you try to explain something, leave your own opinion out."
you should practice what you preach. I can feel the derision and contempt in your words.
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