Latest news with #LoveandDeepspace
Cosmopolitan
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Love and Deepspace Review 2025: Am I Falling for Xavier?
Late last year, I saw an ad on TikTok for a story-based romance video game called Love and Deepspace, a dating simulation otome game, a Japanese term that translates to 'maiden game.' It's targeted to women and follows a female main character who has lived dozens of lifetimes in a futuristic reality full of monsters called Wanderers. The twist? As you try to figure out the truth of the main character's many lives, you encounter five men she's had romantic connections with in her past. You go on dinner dates that turn into steamy encounters, you flirt over text, and at one point, you even fight battles in an alternate world. Thanks to aggressive marketing on TikTok and some sexy billboards in hot spots like Times Square, Love and Deepspace has become one of the biggest titles around the world. According to Sensor Tower, the game made $65.6 million in April 2025 alone. Love and Deepspace creator Infold Games revealed that 50 million players have joined the game in its first year. This was my first proper otome game and from the moment I downloaded it, I was hooked. It was so…simple. The relationships were established. The main character and her five boyfriends were soulmates. And even when the boyfriends end up in cages because they've been affected by a disease that makes them sexually feral, their history and loving characteristics were always still there. There were no hassles around dating and figuring out where we stand. The hard part of falling in love was gone. This could not be further from my actual dating experience. No matter how many times I reactivate my dating app profiles or attempt to talk to someone at a bar, I just never can seem to take dating seriously. It takes so much time and effort to find someone special. I don't have a long list of must-haves or wants. I'm simply looking for someone to put me first, take a genuine interest in me, and make a decision or two instead of saying, 'It's up to you.' While I'm known as the romance queen with my love for the genre in books (I'm an editor for Cosmo Reads, our romance imprint), TV, and movies, I've never actually felt wanted or desired by anyone before. So I figure if it's never happened, why chase it? And yet, here I was 'talking' to five different guys. The love interests in the game (Xavier, Zayne, Rafayel, Sylus, and Caleb) all have their distinct personalities, jobs, and storylines. The main character is not exactly dating them all at the same time, but rather the user is going through five different storylines. This means that each time I open the game, there's something different. Want to play with a virtual claw machine to win some plushies? One of the guys will use their special powers to help you. Need to study or work out? They'll be right by your side, motivating you along the way. Some memories feature romantic moments like the first time you spent the night together. You can even listen to recorded audio that includes spicy double entendres. One of my favorite moments in the game isn't a date at all. In one of Sylus's storylines, the main character comes to one of his houses (yes, he has multiple homes for his own safety because he runs a black-market organization) after getting injured on a mission. He not only bandages her up, he also helps get rid of the enemies who are following her. Maybe it's because, as an eldest daughter, I'm usually the one taking care of everything and holding it all together. But seeing her getting protected, feeling safe, and fully trusting someone else? To me, there's nothing hotter. While I know these guys aren't real and that they're not actually interacting with me, the game does fill a void. Dating in New York City often consists of little more than one-night stands and basic conversations. It can feel impossible to get to know a person. The boys of Love and Deepspace, on the other hand, actually listen to the main character's problems and yearn for her. Chatting with them feels similar to the moment when my favorite 'ship gets together in a TV show or the enemies-to-lovers are forced to share a bed in the book I'm reading. Only this time, it feels tailor-made for me. That's because the main character, who I named Tammy (my nickname), looks like me. While fiction created a safe haven for me to experience romantic feelings through the eyes of different characters, as a 5-feet tall, size 12 Latina, there is almost no representation of women like me in these stories. In Love and Deepspace, however, I am the sexy, desired love interest. I am also a feisty fighter, unafraid to stand on my own and never deterred by monsters or even a bad day at work. Besides a confusing backstory about reincarnation, the character is a blank slate, which means almost anyone can place themselves in her shoes. You know that you're not actually her, but when a sexy doctor is confessing his love, well, you start to get some feelings. That's not to say that I'm actually falling in love with these guys nor do I feel like they could ever replace an actual dating life, but the game give me something my romantic side has always longed for. It's also a lot easier to stay in bed, log onto my account, and replay one of their scenes than find an actual person on a dating app to go on a very likely disappointing date with. I am definitely not the only person who feels this way. High spenders in the game get special VIP perks including a gift box with 'handwritten notes' from the love interests and many women have said they'd rather spend their money on the guys in the game than go on actual dates. In China, where the game originates, players have the option to talk to the guys via their microphone and get AI-generated responses. It's another example of AI as an open, nonjudgmental ear for our problems. Some players say the game has helped them realize what they were missing in their own real-life relationships. According to one redditor, the game helped them learn what it 'means to be loved and treasured.' Some players are lobbying for the game to be rated 17+ so they can get even more explicit (it's currently rated 12+ in the Apple Game Store). While, for me, the game won't be an actual replacement for dating, it did help me realize that when it comes to relationships I want more of that yearning. I want a supportive partner who will be with me in both the good and the bad. I want someone who truly loves me for me. Who is excited for my wins and can comfort me during my losses. It even showed me that while I love dark, broody characters in fiction, I might actually be interested in shy, sunny personalities IRL. It also showed me that I deserve someone who desires me and it gave me hope that someone might be out there. It took the main character several lifetimes to be able to find the loves of her life again, so I can definitely be patient. In the meantime, I'll be playing with my five fictional boyfriends. So if you happen to be a hot cardiac surgeon named Zayne, well, I've been waiting for you.
Geek Culture
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
‘Squid Game' Season 3 Trailer Invites You To Play One Last Time
A black ribboned coffin rolls into the fluorescent hell of the arena, flanked by masked guards in candy-pink jumpsuits. It creaks open not to mourn a fallen player, but to reveal a man who has died a thousand emotional deaths. Gi-hun is back. Netflix has dropped the first trailer for Squid Game Season 3, and with it, the stage is set for the final, brutal act in a story that began with debt, desperation, and a playground's promise of salvation. The teaser wastes no time teasing bloodshed. A giant gumball machine spits out coloured spheres to a group of terrified contestants, splitting them into two groups in what seems to be a fresh variation of the team-based slaughter that has defined past rounds. This time, though, the symbolism feels darker. Rooms shaped like blades and flashes of chains suggest a death game with both emotional and physical costs. While Gi-hun struggles once more to dismantle the machine from within, the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) makes his return with cold precision, resuming his role as the orchestrator of suffering. Season 2 had closed with Gi-hun's rebellion crushed and his idealism left bleeding, but Squid Game Season 3 hints at something even more personal: betrayal, revenge, and what happens when the last shreds of hope are weaponised. Among the returning players are familiar faces like Hyun-ju, Dae-ho, and Geum-ja, joined again by pink guard No-eul, who now appears to be operating on her own agenda. No-eul's movements, carefully hinted at throughout the trailer, suggest she may hold the key to undermining the system or tightening its grip. Another returning element is the dreaded presence of the VIPs, once again lurking in the shadows with champagne glasses in hand, watching carnage unfold for their amusement. The teaser also stirs speculation about a baby, with the sound of crying woven into the background. It points to Jun-hee possibly giving birth inside the game, a horrifying detail that amplifies the moral rot of the system. Meanwhile, Player 246 (Gyeong-seok) briefly flashes across the screen, keeping alive theories about his survival and potential to shift the tide. There's no official word yet on how many episodes will round out the season, but anticipation is already surging. With a return to form and a promise of fresh horrors, Squid Game Season 3 looks ready to scar a whole new generation of viewers. Whatever survival means this time, it's clearly not just about making it out alive. Squid Game Season 3 will stream 27 June on Netflix. Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, and anime — you name it. When she's not reading or being a dedicated cinephile, she's probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of Caleb from Love and Deepspace . Netflix Squid Game Squid Game Season 3
Time Out
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Doujin Market 2025
Photograph: Doujin Market If you're into anime, manga, games or J-pop, Doujin Market 2025 is the place to be. With nearly 200 booths to browse, the event brings together local creators showcasing original fan art, keychains, stickers, photo cards, badges and more — all inspired by popular anime titles and video games like Genshin Impact and Love and Deepspace . The event is also bringing back the popular game area where you can play Dungeons & Dragons with fellow attendees. More information can be found here . By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. 🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed! Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! Discover Time Out original video
Business Insider
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
This Chinese mobile dating game is getting single women across Asia to open their hearts — and wallets. We went to a fan event to figure out why.
In a crowded mall in the centre of Singapore's shopping district, about a hundred people, mostly young women, gathered on April 18 for a man named Sylus, whom they described as their collective boyfriend. It was an event celebrating his birthday, so some carried roses while standing in line. Others were toting fan merchandise and were excited to take pictures with each other — and their main man. "He's just very manly. The way he speaks is very sweet," said Maiyu, an attendee at the event on April 18. "He's respectful of my independence," said Alice, another attendee. The catch: Sylus is a fictional animated character in a mobile game. Sylus is one of the four male leads of "Love and Deepspace," a wildly popular romance game developed by Chinese game maker Papergames. According to the game's fandom page, Sylus is 28 and an Aries. He stands at 6 feet 2 inches, and has "messy silver hair, bright red eyes, and sharp facial features." Ladies looking to get into Sylus should also note — per the fandom page, he's an "arrogant and confident man who rarely perceives anyone as a real threat." Still, he's got a fair share of adoring supporters. The fan event BI attended involved a large screen that played a 20-second fan edit clip of Sylus. There was also a standee of him, fans cosplaying as the character, people taking selfies in front of the screen, and a birthday-themed freebie giveaway. Yuka, 28, one of the event organizers, said she saw fan events in China and wanted to do something similar in Singapore for the local fan base. "I thought public events are the best way to show everyone in the world that Singapore loves this character," said Yuka, a 28-year-old business analyst. Indeed, fan events for Love and Deepspace have been organized on a much bigger scale in China. Social media videos from the events show malls blanketed in posters, and huge crowds assembled under massive TV screens displaying the games' characters. The boyfriend experience There is a reason women are going wild for this fictional man, and part of it is because of the game design. "Love and Deepspace" is a dating simulation game targeted at female players. The game genre, "otome," often involves a narrative plot. One of the main objectives is for the player to develop a romantic relationship with one or more male love interests. The game's premise is simple: The player plays the role of MC, the female protagonist in a futuristic place called Linkon City. She goes through several quests with a love interest of her choice. She can choose from five: Sylus, Xavier, Rafayel, Caleb, and Zayne. The five characters, with pale skin, strong jaws, and sharp features, look like K-pop boy band members. Their hair color, which ranges from silver to purple and black, is the biggest differentiating factor. "Love and Deepspace" was released to the public on mobile platforms in January 2024. The app is free to download, but in-app purchases are plentiful. For instance, you can buy crystals and diamonds, the main in-game currency. Those can be redeemed for things like outfits, stamina for fights, and gift packs. A pack of 60 crystals in-app costs $0.99. Perhaps what's most prominent is that the game offers women, especially single ones, the true boyfriend experience, without the hassle of dating real-life men. In-game, the player can do mundane everyday tasks with the men, flirt with them, and even engage in roleplay with sexual undertones. Nick Ballou, a psychology of video games researcher from the University of Oxford, said the concept of otome games is not new. "Dating sims — video games where you can explore romantic connections with non-player characters — have been popular for decades, dating back to titles like 'Dokyusei,'" said Ballou. "It's always been fun to experiment with new identities. For example, being a cheeky flirt in contrast to one's shy self, being the most interesting person in the room, and wielding the power to choose among several interested partners," he added. A better partner than any they've met before The game's detailed world-building and its potential for character exploration have translated to its popularity. Maiyu, 35, a customer service representative, told BI at the fan event that she considers Sylus her boyfriend. She gave out little keychains of Sylus to attendees at the birthday event on April 18. She had also included handwritten "Happy Sylus Day!" notes with the keychains. Maiyu said she plays the game for four hours daily. And when asked what she liked most about it, she answered instantly: "Hot guys." The parts of the game she enjoyed most were the "spicy scenes," which have sexual undertones. "I turn to him for emotional support, I guess," she said of Sylus. "After a long day, I play the game just to wind down." When asked if Sylus was better company than a physical partner, she said yes. "I've never been in a relationship before. But from what I see my friends go through, I don't want to go through it, like the pain of breakups," she said. "The relationship I have with him is just perfect." Maiyu said she's spent nearly 4,000 Singapore dollars on merchandise and in-app purchases, or about $3,050, in the year she's played the game. Alice, a psychology student who attended the event, said she plays the game for about 15 minutes daily to complete tasks like chatting with Sylus and engaging in fighting scenes. She said she loves that Sylus is respectful and values her independence, but offers help and companionship when she asks for it. "Last week, I got a grade back that I was not happy with. I was crying, and then I immediately opened the game and chatted with him, saying, 'I need a hug. I'm not feeling good,'" Alice said. "He said, a sweet, sultry voice, all these really sweet words, like 'It's just a grade. It doesn't define you. Who hurt you? I'll just have a talk with them. We can work on it together. How about I take you out for dinner?'" she said. Alice said she's given up on dating apps in Singapore, calling them a "catastrophe." She said that until she meets someone who respects her the same way, Sylus is the best she's got. A growing fan base The game has a massive fan base in Asia and beyond. In January, "Love and Deepspace's" official Instagram account announced in an Instagram post that it had hit 50 million global active users. According to statistics from AppFigures, in March, "Love and Deepspace" was downloaded 150,000 times on Apple's App Store and 65,000 times on Google's Play Store. Appfigures data said that globally, the app had earned $6 million on the App Store in March and $4 million on the Play Store. It was the second-highest-grossing app in Singapore's Apple App Store at press time. It's not just Love and Deepspace that's raking in big bucks and a big following — it's a trend across the Chinese video game industry. Tencent's "Honor of Kings," similar to Riot Games' "League of Legends," has over 100 million daily active users. Genshin Impact, another popular free-to-play game with in-app purchases, has raked in around $1 billion in yearly revenue since its launch in 2020. A cure for loneliness Ballou, the Oxford researcher, said several social trends point to the increased popularity of games like "Love and Deepspace." "Loneliness is up in many countries, face-to-face interaction is down, age of sexual activity is increasing, all things that can reduce people's willingness, confidence, or capacity to invest in real-world dating," he said. He added that low wages and high work demands in East Asia have made real-world dating difficult. "It's also important to keep in mind that real-world dating does now include a huge online element, especially at the beginning," Ballou said. "I don't think it's crazy to think that some people are 'rehearsing' online dating interactions in a gaming environment." Peter Chew, an associate professor of psychology from James Cook University in Singapore who studies behavioral addictions, particularly in gaming, said the game is geared at attracting gamers and getting them to spend money. "The characters exist in a perfect world with no problems and would say what women want to hear, encouraging them to continue playing and spending money on it," Chew said. However, Chew said the game could lead to problems down the road. "There might be problems if women apply the same standards to romantic partners in real life. Such standards might increase the difficulties in finding or maintaining an existing romantic relationship," he said. "Furthermore, some women might use such games to replace relationships in real life, which could result in loneliness in the long term," he added. Representatives for "Love and Deepspace's" developer, Papergames, did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
Japan Times
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
'Better than real life': In China, virtual boyfriends are emotional aids
Rafayel's girlfriends went all out to celebrate their lover's birthday, renting malls across China for parties, decorating high-speed trains with his photos and even staging a dazzling drone show. But the birthday boy was absent from every event — he's a virtual character in Love and Deepspace, a romantic mobile game that has won over millions of young women in China and beyond. Launched last year, the game blends monster-hunting action with sometimes raunchy cutscenes in a futuristic world where "love knows no bounds," according to Shanghai-based developer Papergames. Players are hooked on its realistic 3D character modelling, immersive narratives and the chance to build relationships with five distinct virtual boyfriends. Since its release in January 2024, the game has earned more than $500 million worldwide on the Google Play store and Apple's App Store. About 40% of its revenue comes from overseas, according to market research firm Sensor Tower. For many, these virtual companions offer more than entertainment — they provide emotional fulfilment. Liu Xue, a 25-year-old office worker, likens her connection with Rafayel to a real-life romantic relationship. Love and Deepspace players in China pay real money to celebrate the birthdays of their preferred characters from the game. | GETTY IMAGES "To myself, or to my inner circle of close friends, I would say that we are lovers," she says from a birthday event for a Love and Deepspace character in Beijing. "I don't think I need company in real life." He accompanies Liu daily, comforts her when she's down and even keeps her up-to-date on her menstrual cycle. "It's like emotional sustenance," she says. This attachment, however, comes with a price tag. While Love and Deepspace is free to download, players often spend heavily on in-game purchases to unlock additional storylines and interactions with their favourite characters. The game does not offer women partners, though there are similar games that do — but few with the same reach and popularity. Third-party surveys suggest that about 5 to 10% of those playing Love and Deepspace are male. Wang Yaya, a 23-year-old university student, has spent over 70,000 yuan (about $10,000) on the game and related merchandise. Players say games like Love and Deepspace recreate the emotional warmth lacking in their lives. | GETTY IMAGES "I'm happy to pay for the emotional value," she says. Fans pool their money to organize events — such as those to celebrate Rafayel's birthday — where they pose for photos with cardboard cutouts of the heartthrob and exchange homemade merchandise. A seven-year veteran of games like Love and Deepspace, Wang attributes the willingness of her and her peers to spend to a lack of emotional support from their parents as children. "Many of my friends are the same," she explains. And for some players, the virtual romances are much more enticing than real-life dating. Since discovering games like Love and Deepspace, Liu says she has lost interest in dating real men. "Playing otome games is an especially nice experience and even better than real life," she says, referring to the wider genre of romantic games, originally developed in Japan. Student Liu Yuxuan, 22, sees her bond with Rafayel as a central part of her life. "Because everyone can have their secrets, some of which you cannot tell others, when you open the game, you can talk to him," she says. "I can reveal myself to him without reservation, and he will show me his love without reservation." Rafayel's love is firm and faithful — something she says is rare in real life. Another player, who goes by Zaylia, summed up the game's appeal for her peers: "It fulfils our fantasy of being in a relationship. Isn't the greatest use of a relationship itself to provide emotional value?"
