Love and Deepspace Fans Pay Tribute to Canceled Character Valko at Anime Expo
Love and Deepspace players organized a real-world tribute to Valko, a werewolf character canceled by developer Infold, at Anime Expo 2025. Fan organizer Kurina created a shrine dedicated to the character that grew organically as players contributed notes and gifts.
The tribute was inspired by reports of fans in China traveling to Infold’s headquarters to leave flowers and chocolate in protest of the cancellation. Drawing on precedent from previous fan installations at conventions, including a Jinu shrine at a prior Anime Expo, the Valko memorial became a focal point for community advocacy.
Despite Infold’s official cancellation announcement, the sustained fan engagement demonstrates significant player attachment to the unreleased character. The real-world manifestation of this fandom reflects how live-service gaming communities mobilize around character additions and cancellations, using physical spaces and tangible gestures to express their desires and maintain pressure for reconsideration.