Queer male players of the popular otome game Love and Deepspace have reported feeling excluded from official channels and events due to policies and fan behavior that discourage same-sex content. The issues have come to light following the cancellation of a new character and restrictions at public appearances.
Love and Deepspace, developed by Papergames and published by Infold, has drawn over 80 million downloads worldwide. The game centers on female players romancing male characters through gacha mechanics.
At a January event in New York City, company representatives asked a journalist not to film male attendees. The request was declined, but it led to increased supervision during coverage. Similar concerns arose at this year's Anime Expo, where no men were selected for character interactions despite a gender field on the sign-up form.
The game's official subreddit prohibits BL content under Rule 9. Several queer fans described receiving private harassment after posting positively about the game as gay men. One player had his thread removed by moderators citing community safety.
Fans including Kaine, Leo, and Hawke said they created separate Discord servers and other spaces to discuss the game freely. They noted the developer's apparent efforts to maintain a heterosexual focus amid Chinese regulations on media content.