Love And Deepspace’s Gay Fans Say It Has A Homophobia Problem

Key Points:

• Love and Deepspace, a popular sci-fi fantasy otome game by Chinese developer Papergames, has surpassed 80 million downloads and generated over a billion dollars through its gacha mechanics, but recently faced controversy after canceling a new werewolf love interest, Valko, amid concerns including Chinese government censorship.
• The game's official channels and community exhibit exclusionary behavior toward queer fans, including restrictions on same-sex content in official forums and events, and reported instances of harassment and erasure of queer players within the fandom.
• Queer fans of Love and Deepspace express frustration over the lack of representation and acceptance, noting that while the game is designed primarily for heterosexual female players, many still find personal ways to engage with the content, though official spaces often marginalize them.
• Papergames faces a complex challenge balancing Chinese censorship laws with the demands of an international audience, resulting in cautious or exclusionary policies that alienate parts of the global player base, especially queer fans.
• Despite official restrictions, queer communities within the fandom have created their own inclusive spaces online, but some fans have chosen to leave the game entirely due to perceived homophobia and lack of support from the developers and official channels.