r/ValkoHQ • u/sylussadmirerr • 4d ago
Emotional Support ❤️🩹 I’m scared, tired, and sad
These are just my thoughts, triggered by the random appearance of P!nk’s song What About Us on my YouTube homepage, which I think perfectly describes our current situation with Valko and Infold, so please be kind. Also, yeah, I’m a Sylus main, but I’m pro-Valko and really want him back in the game, so please don’t come at me in the comments.
Since June 30, when Valko was canceled, I’ve felt like everything about this game, this fandom, and this community has changed and fallen apart, perhaps irreversibly. I feel like nothing is the same anymore, and I’m really scared of what the future holds, because I never would’ve thought that this company, which gave us so much good through Love and Deepspace for two and a half years—of course, despite the predatory gacha mechanics and stuff locked behind a paywall, because unfortunately, that’s how these types of games operate—could mess things up so badly.
Initially, I wasn’t too thrilled by the news of a new Love Interest, but when I saw the trailer for Valko at work, dang, I was instantly hooked. Even though I knew he wouldn’t be my main, I was genuinely incredibly excited for his release, and the news of his sudden cancellation came like a bolt from the blue and left me extremely shocked and saddened. The first thing I saw was the Letter to All Players, and I didn’t learn the full context until later, thanks to content creators on YouTube, which, honestly, shocked and saddened me even more. Although I have to admit, our fandom coming together during the initial months of the boycott was one of the most beautiful things I’ve witnessed this year.
For the past few months, I’ve been following all the news on YouTube, relying solely on content from Love and Deepspace-related channels and completely shutting out all the negativity on other platforms for the sake of my own mental health. It felt like the longer it went on, the worse it became. And this already bad-enough situation has been made even worse by Infold’s radio silence, even if it was justified by legal activities taking place in the shadows.
And now I feel like all of us—both the silent boycotters, which include me, and the vocal, active ones—have hit an impenetrable wall we can’t get through. Because what’s the point of constantly shouting in the comments on official posts and writing messages to Customer Service when we’re being actively ignored and dismissed? Initially, in July, it felt great to me because it represented dedication and everyone in the fandom coming together. But now, in October, it feels more like wasted energy and needless straining of our throats, because what’s the point of trying if no matter what we do, we’re not being heard?
These comments used to give me strength, but now, for some reason, they’re incredibly irritating and exhausting, because how long can we do this? Why are we even doing this? What’s the point of groveling and begging for something that’s been clearly communicated to us as something that won’t happen? I don’t know—I’m probably just tired of this constant back-and-forth, because on the one hand, I’d love to keep demanding Valko’s return and keep hoping for him to be added back to the game, but on the other, I feel like giving up completely because I feel like this isn’t getting us anywhere and won’t change anything. Infold has already made its stance on this matter clear, and it’s constantly showing us through its actions—or rather, lack thereof—that it has no intention of doing anything about it.
I’m scared for Love and Deepspace. Revenue is declining, Valko is still gone, and everything seems to be coming to an end. Everything has changed, and it doesn’t sit right with me, even though Infold is releasing content “normally” and trying to act like nothing happened, when the damage has already been done and it’s doing absolutely nothing to fix it.
On the one hand, I think their best option would be to add Valko back to the game, but on the other, I feel like it wouldn’t really change much, as the milk has already been spilled, the fandom has split, and our trust in Infold has evaporated. I’m scared of Valko’s return because I feel it could cause another uproar in the community. I’m scared of Valko’s non-return because it means the game will never be complete. I’m scared the bugs in Kindled Moments will never be fixed. I’m scared of Love and Deepspace’s demise because what if the revenue decline and lower income don’t yield the desired outcome and instead result in a complete server shutdown, if Infold doesn’t have the resources to keep Love and Deepspace afloat? Not to mention the sick behavior of extremists this month, which could literally kill our beloved game, though I sincerely hope that doesn’t happen.
Lately, I’ve just felt like this game and its fandom, which until now have been my safe space, have become a kind of worry, a liability, and a ball and chain for me over the past few months. While I try to continue enjoying Love and Deepspace, something always feels off, and I’m scared it’ll either never change or eventually fall apart.
Perhaps, instead of constantly struggling with something we clearly can’t overcome, though it’s truly heartbreaking, we should simply accept that this game will never be complete, the story will never unfold as intended, and our beloved wolf will never return home? Because how long can we continue to fight a battle we have no guarantee of winning? If the cost of this is our peace and well-being, then, for me, it’s too high a price to pay, and I definitely need to take a step back from this whole Valko situation to find mine again.
We are searchlights, we can see in the dark
We are rockets, pointed up at the stars
We are billions of beautiful hearts
And you sold us down the river too far
What about us?
What about all the times you said you had the answers?
What about us?
What about all the broken happy ever afters?
What about us?
What about all the plans that ended in disaster?
What about love?
What about trust?
What about us?
We are problems that want to be solved
We are children that need to be loved
We were willin’, we came when you called
But man, you fooled us
Enough is enough
What about us?
What about all the times you said you had the answers?
What about us?
What about all the broken happy ever afters?
What about us?
What about all the plans that ended in disaster?
What about love?
What about trust?
What about us?
I guess we’ll never know.
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u/Vee_breeze 3d ago
This whole situation is screwed up. The amount of us still trying as hard as we can is ridiculous, but it can't be helped if they just won't listen to anything we try or say.
This song really does fit it all perfectly because I've listened to it thinking of this before 💔 We've all done really well, but honestly it is getting to the stage where even if they do bring him back, I may not play anyway because it's taken them so long to even tell us something or acknowledge us. 😓🐺
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u/Proper_Theory_4768 4d ago
I just so happened to see a summary of this protest in Iceland many years ago, where all women stopped working for 24 hours. It brought the country to an economic standstill and it showed.
The active protest lasted 24 hours. And you know when they saw the outcome? the results of their protest. A year later.
Now yes, comparing the two events seems like stretch, i won't deny. But what i am trying to say is that a lot of things need to happen in their offices before we can get a response. We have to remember that the issues infold has faced go far beyond just hate from the fandom between 22nd and 30th of june. So we have to consider that the issue is still.... active. Perhaps there are things that legally tie their hands.
We do have to consider that they will never address this, which is why i recommend to all the girlies - if it's been too much, too long, too exhausting, just step back. Infold messed up their games before, they messed up again and they will likely mess up more in the future. If this is how they want to treat their players then this is our queue to pack up and move on.
more otome games are coming, i myself moved on to a new one. and following more passively in the news and supporting girlies that are just as exhausted as i've been in the past couple of months.
We might never get an answer. Quite literally it's possible that the hate really did win in this case. It's unfair. But we need to be prepared for that kind of outcome because infold does not seem to cushion the supporter's fall into despair.
All i can say is, you're not the problem, i personally thank you for being part of this movement and please look after yourself and let other pixelated men love you. 💙
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u/Sano_Gak 3d ago
We're in this together. i know its been exhausting these past 3 months and everything just seems corrupted atp. what im doing is waiting for the next major update coming this winter. I have a feeling thats the perfect time to bring him back, but i of course think INFOLD/PPG should say it before they lose too many of us. Take care
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u/IAmNotWong 3d ago
I realize how it can feel like even if Valko returned, the community has split and the milk has been spilt. But the funny thing is when things are restored and some level of closure is brought about (in this case the problem rectified by Valko’s return), you’d be surprised how healing comes about from it. As of right now, what a lot of people can’t get over is the wrong that’s been done. It is in someway an injustice as to what happened with Valko and the lead up to it represents a lot of awful things.
When wrongs are set right, only then can trust be built back up and the community will be able to heal. I hope that can give you some hope on that as I truly believe that wholeheartedly.
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u/vanille-rose 3d ago
No judgement here. If I can be honest, I think it's quite unlikely Valko will be returned to the game at this point, even if he was, a lot has been tainted as you rightly said. The entire reputation of LADS as a whole has been tanked. That's on the company's decisions.
But Valko has come into his own as a character through fandom. Nothing can take that away, and it's the same for all the LIs. It's important to remember, and I say this kindly, that all gachas eventually hit EOS and have to shut down. They're created for money-making, and when revenue drops, that's usually a sign. As compared to a regular otome which you can keep playing forever (and I can suggest some good ones!).
However, as I said, Valko lives on. A lot of good has been done for causes that needed it as a result of this boycott, and all of us will always have our memories of the game. Even if things are in a sad state now, those good memories also can't be taken away.
This fandom will always be a safe space (drama aside), and there are many others you can find. Again I say this kindly, but maybe pivoting away from LADS/gachas for a while and finding something else you love too is a good idea. It'll bring you happiness and hopefully you'll feel less stress about this. 🤍
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u/Latter-End1987 3d ago
I feel you OP. I'm exhausted as well. Its getting nowhere, like you said. Its only been three months but my fire is burning out. No amount of fuel can reignite it. I think I've already given up on the game entirely, because from a logical standpoint? I dont see him coming back at all. But deep down in my heart, I still hope he does.
I worry for what the future of this game might hold. I really want the game to thrive, it genuinely brought me lots of joy that I spent so much money to support it. Heck, I uninstalled the game for 3 months now despite my annual pass still being active. The spark for the game actually faded.
Focusing on other games made me realise of the reality, that games is just a product that can be altered with enough pressure or extreme actions. I worry it might happen to other games I play, so that's how much it impacted my gaming experiences.
This whole thing just sucks...
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u/SnooDoggos1812 ❄️🍎🐺 4d ago
I get your frustration and I totally understand u. It's okay to take a break if you feel overwhelmed and tired. Or even leave for good if thats what u feel like. Your health matters more 🫂
Honestly for me, I felt like you at some point nothing is happening and we are screaming in the dark probably. But what is the alternative? To give up and let inflop erase Valko with no consequences :/ which is why I refuse to give up. I think this is exactly what inflop wants, they want us to feel like what we are doing is meaningless so we give up and move on or leave so they can keep farming money from their players or new players. And look it might be actually meaningless, all the comments and emails we keep sending, but I would rather take my chance on Valko no matter how small it is than give up and let inflop and og 5 cdg win.
Thats just my standpoint, like I said if you are feeling overwhelmed and tired, plz plz take care of yourself first. Nothing is worth your health at the end.