Chinese game developer Papergames is facing backlash after revealing a buff werewolf as the sixth love interest in its hit otome game Love and Deepspace. 

In a promotional video published Monday on the company’s official Weibo account, the character appears as a wolf before transforming into a human amid swirling shadows and gothic imagery. The video quickly drew controversy as players argued that the character’s Western design clashed with the game’s established aesthetic — one they said appeals to Asian audiences. 

In just one day, consumer rights platform Xiaofeibao registered 22,000 complaints about the character, with fans citing dislike of its design and Papergames’ violation of their rights by failing to inform them of its addition in advance. Many called on the company to improve its services and compensate fans, as well as for the cancellation of the character’s official release, scheduled for July 9. On Weibo, related hashtags have garnered more than 200 million views.

Launched in 2024, Love and Deepspace is a sci-fi romance mobile game aimed at women. In it, players engage in virtual relationships with the game’s male companion characters, as well as action combat. The game surpassed $930 million in global revenue by December 2025, according to digital analytics firm Sensor Tower, and consistently tops otome game revenue rankings.

China’s otome games are characterized by a “live-service” production model, where developers continuously attract users through game updates. Players, who support the game and unlock features through in-game spending, also have a voice in how characters and plotlines are designed, developed, and expanded. 

The new werewolf character, named Ao Yin — or Valko, in the game’s English version — joins an existing lineup of five male protagonists with whom players can build relationships through interactive storylines and AI-driven voice calls. The 26-year-old stands 189 centimeters tall and is depicted with wolf ears and a tail. 

In an interview with Sixth Tone, Li Tianyi, a 23-year-old university student in Shanghai and longtime Love and Deepspace player, called the new character “scary.” 

“Ao Yin is too muscular and tough for my taste,” she said. “He also doesn’t fit the otome game aesthetic.”

Her favorite protagonist in the game is Xia Yizhou, or Caleb, a young pilot with refined features and a calm, composed presence. “He seems more like a real person, because he has black hair and dark eyes,” Li said. “He’s kind of like a more perfect version of someone I could meet in real life.”

Li also worries about how the character, written as an adversary of the game’s existing male companions, fits into the storyline. She said that the prospect of pursuing a romantic relationship with a character who harms their favorite characters is difficult for players to accept.

In the comments section of its promotional video, Papergames responded playfully to critics, which many interpreted as indifference to community feedback. When one player wrote that they “couldn’t appreciate (Ao Yin’s) appearance,” the company responded, “Sorry! But his eyes are sparkling ... How about taking another look before deciding?”

Industry observers see Ao Yin’s Western fantasy-inspired design as part of Papergames’ globalization strategy. 

But players say they feel “betrayed,” arguing that the emotional and financial investment they have put into the existing male characters has not been reflected in the game’s plot development. Instead, they believe the company’s resources have been directed toward creating and promoting the new companion. 

Li feels that the storylines for the game’s five existing characters are running thin, with little narrative progress.

“I won’t read the new storyline featuring Ao Yin when it is released,” Li said. “If the game no longer feels right to me, I won’t keep playing.”

Editor: Marianne Gunnarsson.

(Header image: Ao Yin, the newly introduced sixth male lead in the popular otome game Love and Deepspace. From the game’s official website)