Mobile RPGs are more popular than ever. Games like Road to Empress and Shining Nikki are complete phenomena that have recently expanded beyond mainland China and into the rest of the world — and we might have Genshin Impact to thank for that.
But while many log in casually to pass the time, for millions of others, these games are a source for rich storytelling and deep characters. This connection recently became clear after Infold Games’ latest scandal: the new character named Valko. With fans divided on the issue, the Chinese development team has walked back the release of its newest character, and not everyone agrees with the decision.
Mobile roleplaying games, or RPGs, are more popular than ever before, and it's never been easier to find the perfect game that joins action and passion
Infold released Love and Deepspace in 2024, marketing it as the world's first massive 3D sci-fi otome RPG — and that marketing was, without a doubt, a success. With over 80 million downloads, the game has a dedicated player base that logs in daily to interact with its characters. It's an absolute financial powerhouse, closing in on $1 billion in global lifetime revenue. It is no joke.
Thanks to its passionate and dedicated player base, every change is noticeable online. This time, it involved an unreleased character, Valko, who was supposed to be the game's sixth male protagonist and love interest. He was revealed in June 2026 and was expected to debut on July 9, 2026. However, after fans got their first glimpse of the character, Chinese players made it clear they didn't want him.
Image credits: Love and Deepspace / YouTube
One of the most popular games in this genre is Love and Deepspace, a Chinese RPG from Infold Games, with over 80 million downloads
Image credits: Love and Deepspace / X
But with power comes responsibility, and the game announced in June a new character that did not bode well with part of the player base
But this wasn't just a matter of people disliking the character's design, like many claimed. The player base had long been voicing its frustration over the game's neglect of its five existing love interests, with one of the original leads not appearing in a main story update for over 500 days. Many called Valko's introduction a blatant "cash grab.”
Plus, there was also a political trigger, as the number used in the teaser lore — A-0713— was, by fans, a connection to Unit 731, the infamous Imperial Japanese military unit that ran horrible human experiments in WWII. Although the developer said there was no deeper meaning and that it was just a coincidence, it was still a major point of contention on Chinese social media.
Image credits: blueberryandvanilla / Reddit
This character is Valko, a full-blooded werewolf, with wolf ears, a tail, and fangs, which made him popular among Western fans, but not so much with Chinese ones
Image credits: Love and Deepspace / YouTube
But it wasn't his design that caused controversy, but the fact that the other five male interests were neglected by the devs, which made fans see this release as a capitalist tactic
Their anger was so intense that some players even sent funeral flowers (chrysanthemums) and cow dung to the company's headquarters, ultimately leading Infold to withdraw from the massive BilibiliWorld 2026 convention and cancel Valko's release. On the other side of the world, however, fans mourned him.
They had long hoped for a new love interest who would finally fulfill many of their long-standing requests. Their disappointment became especially clear at anime conventions, where some players even created altars dedicated to the character. “It felt like losing something we had all been looking forward to together,” one fan said.
Image credits: Love and Deepspace / YouTube
There was also a political tie regarding the character that many players didn't seem to let go of, and the backlash was so intense that the company decided to cancel his debut altogether
Image credits: Love and Deepspace / YouTube
Despite the decision being what many fans wanted, Western players had entirely different reactions, and they were already hoping to see more of Valko soon
Their excitement was clear. A star was named after Valko; some players donated to a wolf charity in China in his honor, since he's a werewolf, and fans in Malaysia and New York even paid for LED billboard slots to show his teaser footage. The world was buzzing with excitement, but it wasn't enough to overshadow the outrage shared by much of the player base.
The backlash also led to a petition calling for Valko's reinstatement, which gathered more than 229k signatures. Even that, however, wasn't enough to change Infold's mind. In a recent update posted on Love and Deepspace's official RedNote account, the company stated that the widespread attention "has caused significant distress to all of our players" and added that they would "engage in serious self-reflection."
Image credits: Love and Deepspace / YouTube
Already invested in his character, many started making shrines at conventions and even donating to wolf charities in Valko's name to show support for the character
Image credits: Love and Deepspace / YouTube
But not even a 229k signature petition seemed to be enough, as the release date was expected to be on July 9, and there is still no rectification letter from Infold
Image credits: Love and Deepspace / YouTube
Instead, the company has once more apologized for the entire debacle regarding Valko, noticing the backlash they're receiving from many fans who hoped to have a new in-game character
This controversy isn't just staying within social media or gaming circles, however, which makes the situation even messier. The NPPA, the Chinese government agency that oversees video game licenses, has already gotten involved. After the controversy topped Weibo's trending charts, the country's equivalent of X (formerly Twitter), state media called for an investigation into the A-0731 "Easter egg."
Naturally, this is a terrifying prospect for Infold. In the worst-case scenario, the studio could have its operating license revoked or even face a prolonged freeze on the game. That also explains why Infold would rather remove a character altogether than risk a government-mandated shutdown of a billion-dollar game, even if it means facing massive backlash.
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As for fans, they'll continue to hope that Infold changes its mind about removing Valko and will do everything they can to advocate for a new love interest that better represents what they want to see in the game. But has this whole controversy been blown out of proportion by both sensitive Chinese players and passionate Western fans alike? Let us know what you think.
Cosplayers, artists, and fans all gathered at conventions and even fan-made events in hopes of making their efforts noticeable to the devs
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The revolt, however, is most noticeable on social media, where many netizens are calling it "consumer fraud," after advertising the character and suddenly pulling him from the roster
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