You don't need to be a regular player of Love and Deepspace to have caught wind of the "Save Valko" movement. The dating sim, developed by INFOLD, recently became the center of a heated community controversy after the studio abruptly cancelled the launch of a new love interest, Valko, just before his scheduled release.
The decision followed intense pushback from a segment of the fanbase. While some players argued that the game should prioritize expanding content for existing characters rather than introducing new ones, others were more blunt, criticizing the character's design. In response to the friction, the developers pulled the plug on the werewolf-inspired character.
The community's reaction was immediate and substantial. A petition demanding that INFOLD reinstate Valko has already garnered over 207,000 signatures. To put that figure in perspective, it matches the level of support seen in recent campaigns pushing for Sony to maintain support for physical media releases.
The movement has since transcended the mobile gaming bubble, catching the attention of prominent streamers and other game studios. CaseOh, a popular content creator, weighed in on the situation during a recent stream, expressing disbelief that a character would be scrapped over negative feedback regarding his appearance. "They didn't bring out the character because they said he's ugly?" CaseOh told his audience. "That's messed up. They're wrong for that. Hopefully, they release him anyway."
Indie Studios Offer Valko a New Home
Perhaps the most unexpected development in the saga is the camaraderie shown by other developers. Rather than letting the character vanish, studios behind some of the most popular indie hits have stepped in to offer Valko a spot in their own titles.
Cult of the Lamb was among the first to join the campaign, sharing an image of the character integrated into their game world. They even went as far as to make adjustments to his height to better suit their art style. The team behind Vampire Survivors also joined the fray, posting about the character and explicitly encouraging their own players to sign the petition to see him added back into Love and Deepspace.
Whether this massive display of support from fans, streamers, and fellow developers will cause INFOLD to reverse course remains unclear. For now, the playerbase has firmly established their stance, and for many, the fight to get Valko back in the game is far from over.