Love and Deepspace Fans Rally for Valko Romance as Petition Hits 2-Day Mark
A fresh petition is racing across the internet to bring Valko back as a romance option in Love and Deepspace, and it’s already pulling in an eye-catching number of signatures in under two days. The push is gaining serious momentum at a time when the game’s relationship roster has clearly become a flashpoint for the community—especially since the original reveal of Valko sparked a backlash just as intense as the one that followed his removal.
Release and availability snapshot
| Item | What’s planned |
|---|---|
| Valko status | Love and Deepspace Version 6.0 is expected to launch without Valko |
| Valko petition pace | Over 218K signatures within 48 hours |
| Potential reward alternative | If Valko isn’t restored, rewards tied to his event would be distributed to all players for free |
| Free Deepspace Wish | One free Deepspace Wish per day for 30 days (if Valko isn’t restored) |
| Next romance and story beats | Rafayel content arrives in July; story updates for Caleb and Sylus are planned for September and November |
When Love and Deepspace developer Papergames first introduced Valko, a large chunk of the fanbase reacted negatively. The criticism wasn’t just about the character himself—it centered on the fear that adding another love interest would siphon resources from other content, especially in a live game where both newer and long-time players want fresh material for their favorite existing characters. After Valko’s announcement, reports say the game’s social media accounts saw a noticeable drop in followers, criticism spread widely, and some players even escalated the dispute offline. There were claims of real-world protests, including reports that cow dung was placed inside company lockers.
After that, Papergames issued an apology and clarified that no additional love interests would be added going forward. The company also stated that Love and Deepspace Version 6.0 would proceed without Valko. That decision triggered a second wave of community pushback—this time driven by players who were actively looking forward to Valko. The result is the petition now circulating at speed, reaching more than 218K signatures in just 48 hours. If the petition continues at the same rate, it could plausibly pass the 350K to 400K mark by the end of the July 4 weekend.
Love and Deepspace players want to save Valko
- Sign the Valko petition
Petition supporters say they’re asking the publisher Infold and PaperGames to bring Valko back to Love and Deepspace as a love interest, matching what they describe as the character’s original intent. In their statement, they wrote: “We are asking [publisher] Infold and PaperGames to bring back Valko in Love and Deepspace as a love interest, as was originally intended.”
They added that global fans have made it clear Valko is important to both the story and the people who invested in it with care. The statement argues that a character like Valko does more than occupy a checkbox in a dating sim structure, emphasizing that he helps shape the world, the relationships, and the emotional pull that keeps players engaged. It also claims that removing or excluding a romance option after it was meant to exist in that role isn’t only a behind-the-scenes creative change—it alters the experience for the whole community.
The message continues: “Many of us came to Love and Deepspace because we wanted meaningful character connections, memorable storytelling, and the chance to grow attached to the people in that world. Valko is part of that promise. Bringing him back would show respect for the original vision and for the fans who have been asking for his return.” The petition’s core goal, as framed by supporters, is to restore Valko as one of the pillars of the game’s core promise to players. They also acknowledge that not everyone will be satisfied, but argue that new content is better than getting none—and that Papergames could keep improving romance options going forward.
If Papergames ultimately doesn’t reinstate Valko, the studio has said rewards originally linked to his Love and Deepspace event would instead be handed out to all players at no cost. Players would receive one free Deepspace Wish each day for 30 days as well. In addition, the studio says its development focus would shift toward expanding existing romance options and the main story. The plan includes new content for Rafayel arriving in July, along with story updates for Caleb and Sylus scheduled for September and November.
