Love and Deepspace has been making waves in the mobile gaming space since its debut in 2024. Developed by Papergames and Infold, this mobile game won its audience over by combining dating simulator mechanics and 3D action roleplay game combat.
This has set it apart from typical romance games in the industry, garnering them global attention and success. By 2025, Love and Deepspace became the second-highest-grossing mobile game of that year, generating over $826 million. However, recent problems might put that success in jeopardy, at least in the West.
Multiple controversies have emerged from Western fans; however, the biggest has to do with the games’ darker change in tone. Love and Deepspace has prided itself on focusing on player immersion, particularly towards the various love interests offered in the game through cutscenes, unique events, and game modes. Up until last year, much of this content centered around sweet, comforting romantic moments, so when the game introduced darker content, many Western fans were thrown off.
This fan response is largely due to the inconsistent localizations of the game compared to the original Chinese version. Bread crumbs of these darker aspects of the story were laid out since the beginning of the game, but many players alleged that the developers toned down or outright lied to Western players about where the storylines of their characters were going.
Ultimately, the game’s age rating has become a central issue of this problem, especially due to how much it differs on app stores outside of China. While the original Chinese version is rated 18+, other app stores have the game rated as low as 13+. It is an issue that has become more pressing due to the increasing dark content in the game, and with how many minors have joined the game due to its lower age rating. Many fans noted that if the game had been globally rated 18+ from the start, much of the recent controversy wouldn’t have happened.
While the game’s Chinese rating is multifaceted with that country’s own issues around censorship, many Western fans agree that a higher age rating is needed. This would allow Love and Deepspace to continue to explore darker romantic themes in its story and shift it towards a fully adult audience.
