Love and Deepspace Drops Valko, Says No More New Romance Options

Otome title Love and Deepspace is stepping back from its planned character rollout: developer Infold says Valko will not be added as a new romance option, and that future content will not include additional love interests. The announcement landed after a period of active community discussion and backlash following the reveal of Valko’s intended debut.

Quick facts

• Infold has stated that no additional love interests will be added in future content plans.
• Valko was originally scheduled to arrive with Version 6.0 on July 9.
• Other Version 6.0 features, including Home 2.0 and the AR Photobooth, will still release on schedule.
• Rewards tied to the Valko-focused Hunt In Linkon event will be sent for free via in-game mail, including Deepspace Wishes.
• A petition is circulating in the North American community, with 42,000 signatures at the time of writing.

Infold’s message to players includes a direct apology, noting that the team has been monitoring community conversations and feedback across all platforms in the days following the earlier announcement. The developer then frames the decision as a correction made after reassessing readiness and timing.

Valko’s release was set for July 9 as part of a major update: Version 6.0, titled A Shattered Quiet. That planned addition became a flashpoint within the Chinese fanbase, with controversy building as the release date approached.

In its official statement, Infold said it recognized that it moved ahead with Valko before being fully prepared. The company also acknowledged that the team’s rollout fell short of what players who were looking forward to Valko were expecting.

The developer’s wording also emphasizes the impact on long-time supporters. Infold said that by proceeding too early, it let down players who had backed the game from the start, while also missing the mark on delivering the experience those players anticipated.

Alongside the cancellation, Infold confirmed that the rest of Version 6.0 is still going forward. That includes Home 2.0 and the AR Photobooth features, which will be released as planned.

Infold further explained how it will handle the Valko-linked event rewards. The company will deliver the benefits it had planned for the Valko-focused Hunt In Linkon event to players for free through in-game mail, and it will include free Deepspace Wishes as part of that delivery.

What Infold says comes next

Infold added that the studio will shift its focus toward strengthening existing romance routes rather than introducing new ones. Going forward, the team plans to deepen the stories and long-term companionship experiences tied to the five love interests already in the game.

The statement also points to production pacing. Infold said it will aim for a steady rhythm for Main Story development and updates while it works on those ongoing relationship content threads.

For many players, especially in North America, the decision has been met with disappointment. A sizable portion of that community had been posting about Valko on social media, sharing excitement and affection leading up to the planned launch.

Because of that, some players are now pushing for Valko to be released on the game’s global servers. A petition has been started, and it had reportedly reached 42,000 signatures at the time this news was written.

Love and Deepspace currently features five existing love interests. The game launched in January with three characters—Rayfael, Xavier, and Zayne—before Sylus joined the lineup in July 2024 and Caleb arrived in January 2025.

In related metrics, AppMagic previously reported that the game had surpassed 31 million downloads and that player spending had exceeded $1 billion. Those figures were cited last May as part of an overview of the game’s commercial performance.

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