Love and Deepspace was probably expecting players to get excited when it dropped a brand-new trailer for Valko. He’s the game’s new, sixth male protagonist. But instead, the reveal has turned into one of the biggest community meltdowns the game has seen so far.
The new Love and Deepspace trailer, called Chasing Night, introduces Valko as the chairman of EonCore Tech and the mysterious leader of a werewolf clan. He’s set to make his official debut when Love and Deepspace Version 6.0, A Shattered Quiet, launches on July 9th, 2026. The update will also bring a completely new romance route and new Companions for players.
To celebrate the reveal, the official Love and Deepspace account is also running a social media giveaway. Players who follow the account and share the post with the hashtag #Valko have a chance to win. Five hunters will be randomly selected to receive $100 each.
Now, what’s causing the backlash for Love and Deepspace Valko?
They’re talking about how Valko got here in the first place. The controversy started when Love and Deepspace suddenly revealed its sixth romanceable male protagonist, known in China as Ao Yin. The character arrived completely out of nowhere.
There was no major story buildup, no long-running hints, and no real setup leading into the announcement. That alone annoyed a lot of players, especially because the devs had previously denied that a sixth protagonist was even planned.
Another big complaint is Valko’s appearance. The existing five male protagonists all fit a fairly polished East Asian otome style, while Valko goes in a completely different direction. He’s rougher, bulkier, more animalistic, and much more obviously designed around werewolf fantasy tropes.
A lot of longtime players are also frustrated because several of the original love interests haven’t received major story updates in a very long time. So, a brand-new character suddenly popping up with a massive marketing campaign, a trailer, and a full promotional rollout is not what players were rooting for.
What are your thoughts on this? Comments and let us know. Also, read our news on Honkai: Nexus Anima Evolution Test.
