Despite being on the market for nearly two years, Love and Deepspace continues to face criticism over a glaring issue that affects players with darker-skinned custom main characters: these characters appear invisible in certain game scenarios.
Love and Deepspace, developed by the Chinese studio Papergames and published globally by Infold Games, is an otome game like no other. It combines action RPG elements with heartfelt romantic narratives, allowing players to bond with five potential love interests while battling cosmic foes. The game’s charm lies in its romantic core, featuring intricate visual novel sections and fully animated cutscenes as rewards for progressing in relationships.
A Success Shadowed by Challenges
Launched in January 2024, Love and Deepspace has garnered immense popularity, boasting over 50 million players globally by 2025 and winning accolades, including Best Mobile Game at Gamescom. Celebrated for its positive representation of women and their relational needs, the game offers diverse customization options for the main character’s appearance, including multiple darker skin tones—a rare feature in otome games.
However, since its debut, players have noted issues with the game’s lighting, causing characters with darker skin tones to appear awkwardly shadowed or entirely invisible during certain scenes. Complaints date back to the game’s launch and continue to surface, as seen in numerous social media and community posts:
Reports indicate the problem varies by skin tone and cutscene, leaving players uncertain each time a new update is released. Despite numerous reports to Infold, there had been silence until an inquiry prompted Infold to respond:
At Infold Games, we’ve always believed that our games are shaped together with the players who love them. The community’s feedback, discussions, and creative passion are what keep Love and Deepspace evolving and alive.
We’ve seen the conversations and truly value everyone who has taken the time to share their experiences and thoughts. Every comment, whether it’s about visuals, storytelling, or representation, helps us better understand how our work resonates across different perspectives and cultures.
Love and Deepspace is, at its heart, a shared world of emotion and imagination. We hope to keep building it hand in hand with our players, learning and improving together along the way.
A Call for Representation
The game’s technical finesse is undermined by this persistent oversight, leading players to question the commitment to diverse representation. Players have highlighted the broader issue of racial representation in gaming, noting how darker tones are often sidelined. Players argue that while the introduction of diverse skin tones is a positive step, the failure to ensure these tones are properly supported within the game reflects deeper systemic issues.
StarPop, a player vocal on social media, eloquently summarized the frustration, emphasizing how historical biases in dating games have marginalized players of color by only featuring fair-skinned main characters. The launch of Love and Deepspace initially seemed a breakthrough, offering customization that allowed players to feel represented—yet the lighting issue has cast a shadow over this progress.
Conversations on platforms like Twitter, Reddit, and YouTube reveal an ongoing struggle for recognition and equality in gaming spaces. Despite the challenges, the community remains steadfast, urging Infold for a definitive resolution that embraces all players, regardless of skin tone.