Infold’s otome RPG Love and Deepspace broke nearly a month of social media silence this week — but the timing landed in the middle of an ongoing storm. The Caleb: Summer Surge limited five-star memory event launched on 5 August and runs through 14 August, even as a community boycott demanding the return of cancelled love interest Valko continues to grow. A petition on iPetitions has passed 251,000 signatures, and the game recorded its worst financial month on record following the controversy, according to OpenCritic’s reporting.
Watch the Caleb Summer Surge Trailer
What Happened With Valko?
Valko was announced on 22 June as Love and Deepspace’s first new love interest in some time — a wolf-inspired character who quickly built a dedicated following among the game’s international playerbase. Before his Version 6.0 debut, a vocal segment of the game’s Chinese domestic audience mounted an intense campaign opposing his design. The backlash proved decisive: Infold cancelled Valko entirely, removing him from the roadmap and issuing an apology — but not the one Western players were looking for.
The cancellation did not land well globally. The game suffered its worst financial month on record in the period that followed. Meanwhile, a Chinese government statement indicated Valko is gone permanently, per GameSpot.
The Boycott By the Numbers
The fan response has been substantial and organised:
- Over 251,300 signatures on an iPetitions campaign demanding Valko’s reinstatement
- Over 98,200 signatures on a separate Change.org petition
- A dedicated Letters for Valko website collecting fan messages for Infold to read
- A solidarity GoFundMe for Mexican wolf sanctuary Extinción Cero raised over 78,850 MXN
- Public figures including rapper bbno$ promoted the petitions through cosplay content
Chinese players have largely held their position opposing the character’s return, creating a cultural divide that Infold has not yet addressed publicly. As of publication, the developer has issued no formal response to the boycott or any roadmap for what comes next — the resumed social media activity has focused solely on the Caleb event, as Siliconera reported.
Inside the Caleb: Summer Surge Event
The Caleb: Summer Surge limited five-star memory runs until 14 August at 04:59 (server time). It centres on a basketball-themed story — a nostalgia-tinged narrative revisiting an old court. Rewards available during the banner period include:
- Leap & Dunk outfit (limited — not obtainable after the banner ends)
- Rule Reversal hat (permanently enters the Lunar Shop after the event)
- Lingering Moment photo pose (also enters the Lunar Shop permanently)
Infold released the Caleb event in place of the previously announced Rafayel Myth banner, which was postponed. Some players have pledged to sit out spending until Infold addresses the Valko situation directly; others are playing the event as normal. For Singapore and Southeast Asia players who are active Love and Deepspace users, the banner deadline of 14 August is approaching quickly.
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