Kjærlighet og kontroverser i verdensrommet eskalerer til protester i den virkelige verden

Love and Deepspace developer Papergames is facing one of the biggest controversies in the game's history after the reveal of its sixth male love interest, Ao Yin, also known as Valko. What began as widespread criticism online has escalated into real-world protests outside the company's headquarters, while the game's official Chinese social media accounts have reportedly lost around one million followers.

Ao Yin Reveal Sparks Massive Community Backlash

The controversy erupted shortly after Papergames introduced Ao Yin as the newest romance option in Love and Deepspace.

While some players criticized the character's more Western-inspired design, many longtime fans argued that the core issue lies elsewhere. According to the community, the game's five existing love interests have gone months without meaningful story updates, with some players claiming they have waited more than 500 days for new content.

Many fans believe Papergames chose to focus on introducing a new character instead of expanding the stories of the original cast that players have already invested in.

Protests Reach Papergames Headquarters

The backlash soon extended beyond social media.

As part of Ao Yin's promotional campaign, Papergames installed a large Valko-themed display outside its headquarters. According to multiple reports, some protesters responded by placing cow dung inside the company's delivery lockers and leaving white and yellow chrysanthemums, curse banners, glutinous rice, and pomelo leaves around the promotional installation.

Several of these items carry strong symbolic meaning in Chinese culture. White and yellow chrysanthemums are commonly associated with funerals and mourning, while glutinous rice and pomelo leaves are traditionally used in cleansing rituals, making their placement widely interpreted as an insult.

Reports also claim that one protester displayed a banner targeting the new character, prompting Papergames to strengthen security around its offices.

Papergames Responds

The controversy has attracted attention beyond the gaming community.

Chinese newspaper Beijing Daily suggested that Ao Yin's reveal simply exposed years of growing frustration over slow story updates, resource allocation, and communication between the developer and its core player base.

In response, Papergames released an official statement confirming that Ao Yin will remain the game's sixth male lead while promising additional story content for Caleb and Sylus in future updates.

The developer also distributed compensation worth 20 free pulls to players.

However, many fans argued that the statement failed to address the community's biggest concerns and lacked a direct apology.

Discussion Spreads Worldwide

The controversy has since expanded beyond China, with international players joining the discussion across social media.

While many fans have condemned the real-world protests, others believe the backlash reflects long-standing dissatisfaction with Papergames' handling of its communities across multiple titles.

Whether the studio can rebuild trust with its player base remains to be seen, but the Ao Yin controversy has already become one of the most significant community disputes the Love and Deepspace franchise has faced to date.