Love and Deepspace Fans Stage ‘Valko’ Funeral After Infold Cancels Debut

Fans of Love and Deepspace have been holding memorial-style gatherings for Valko after Infold, the game’s developer, reversed course on the wolfy romance option shortly before its planned debut. What was meant to be a celebratory arrival on the calendar has instead turned into a public show of grief—and, in some places, a direct protest outside the studio’s offices.

Players mourn Valko outside Infold’s Shanghai HQ

In China, players connected to the LADS community have reportedly been traveling to Infold’s Shanghai headquarters in large numbers. The scene described by fans includes flowers, candles, and tearful reactions as people mourn a character they were actively looking forward to romancing starting July 9.

Clips of upset supporters crying at the office building have spread widely across social media, but the backlash doesn’t appear to be limited to on-site emotions. Players have also taken more organized action to pressure Infold to reconsider.

A petition and growing frustration over monetization

Alongside the memorial gatherings, players have launched a petition calling on the developer to undo the decision and bring Valko back. As of the time of writing, the petition reportedly includes more than 78,000 verified signatures and over three thousand comments from players urging Infold to release the sixth romanceable love interest.

One fan summed up the sentiment bluntly: “This is devastating. Removing Valko from the game is NOT an acceptable solution. I am deeply disappointed to see Infold choose to erase a long-awaited LOVED character.”

Others framed the cancellation as a broader trust issue—especially for players who spent money based on the expectation that new romantic routes would keep expanding. Another comment explained the feeling as a kind of bait-and-switch, adding that canceling Valko “feels like a bait-and-switch and a material change to the game after monetization.”

What Infold said—and why the timing is fueling backlash

The situation has its roots in a specific timeline. Valko was originally scheduled to arrive in Love and Deepspace on July 9 as the newest character players could pursue romantically. Then, on June 30, Infold issued an announcement indicating Valko would not be moving forward as previously planned.

In its statement, the developer said, “After reflecting on recent events, we recognize that we moved forward with the introduction of Valko before we were truly ready.”

Infold also acknowledged the impact on its audience, writing that by moving forward early, it “let down the players who have supported us from the start,” and that it “fell short of delivering the experience that players anticipating Valko deserved.”

So far, Infold has not provided a public response addressing the wider backlash and protests tied to the decision.

Flowers, rules, and the “memorial” tone of the protest

One player shared a photo showing herself holding a bouquet in front of the Infold building. The flowers were intended as a gesture of appreciation and love for Valko. However, the post claims the offering couldn’t be accepted due to safety regulations.

A card included with the bouquet reportedly carries text reflecting the same mournful framing that’s become common in the protests, with a screenshot circulating online alongside the memorial reactions.

Why this update matters to players (and the broader live-service mindset)

What makes this controversy stand out isn’t just that a character got pulled—it’s how close the reversal came to the planned release date, and how directly it’s tied to player expectations about ongoing content delivery in a monetized environment. For fans who planned around Valko’s debut, the cancellation reads as a broken promise. For others, the immediate shift from “arrival day” anticipation to public mourning suggests a reputational risk when live-service roadmaps change late.

• Players had a clear date in mind: Valko was expected on July 9 before being canceled on June 30.
• The protest includes both emotional memorial gatherings and formal organizing through a petition.
• Backlash messaging repeatedly emphasizes disappointment and a sense of trust being damaged, especially for those who spent money expecting continued romance-route expansion.
• Infold has acknowledged the decision publicly, but has not yet offered a new public plan or detailed follow-up to address the backlash.

For both hardcore Love and Deepspace fans and newcomers, guides to the game’s romance content have also been referenced in fan and media circles as players try to contextualize what’s changed and what’s still coming.