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So apparently I was a lying liar that lied yesterday. My apologies for not uploading a report! I was exhausted after moving. But! I am back at my mom's house and settling in, so I will have a lot more free time for Tumblr for the next month.
Really hoping we get Valko back soon so I can focus on writing. My novel and my Tumblr drafts have gone untouched for too long.
Anyway, we have a lot to go over.
Valko in August?
Yes!
Maybe.
Don't think so.
Voting ended onAug 2
LADS following:
— Instagram: 909k
— X: 651.9k
— YouTube: 324k (allegedly...)
— TikTok: 878.5k
Petitions:
— iPetitions: 251,100+
— Change.org: 98,200+
— JP Change.org: 8,500+
— Total: 357,000+ signatures
LADS CN iOS App Store ranking 7/31
LADS financial report 7/31
LADS isn't even RANKED in July's best selling apps in CN. "Failed." I love it.
LADS lost almost 75% of its revenue in July.
LADS is also officially out of the top 10 highest grossing gacha games. This is unprecedented.
Apparently, Infold is also moving their HQ. I don't know where, but it's been reported on several times.
Hoyoverse MAY be speaking out—not about Infold specifically, but about the important of global players. I will be referencing this post and this post below.
Did @GenshinImpact make a nod to the global VALKO boycott?
I just finished watching the new version stream for Genshin Impact, nothing that really stood out from previous similar streams: the developers talking about the region's lore and new features, except for one thing.
At the end of the stream, for the very first time, the developers invited someone responsible for, and I quote, the "GLOBAL RELEASE" of game updates.
And what do you think? The very first thing this person said was how important GLOBAL PLAYERS are to the game.
After that, for a few more minutes, both HoYoverse representatives expressed gratitude to players both in China and overseas with phrases like:
- We promise to make regular updates so the SURPRISES don't end.
- Every team member is important, both in China and overseas. (repeated 3 times)
- We will REWARD YOUR LOVE! love!?
I watched every Genshin stream, it's the very first time they mentioned that. I'm probably seeing connections where there are none. But given the attitude of certain CEO's, I'd say this is a small nod to our boycott. And a direct demonstration of how confident HoYoverse is.
Fortune favors their audacity, otherwise why is Genshin's market capitalization many times larger than @Love_Deepspace ? Maybe you, @InfoldGames_ should take an example from a successful business too? Genshin doesn't care about dates or anything, they trust their artistic vision.
Now, why would Hoyoverse suddenly say this? Well...
Shanghai just launched China’s first public-service platform to help game companies expand overseas, naming the U.S. as a top market.
The articles also emphasize that overseas revenue from domestically developed Chinese games rose 30.22% year over year, with the United States, Japan, and South Korea remaining the three largest target markets.
Shanghai itself is investing RMB 50 million annually into areas including original-game development, technology, industry growth, and companies going global.
This does not directly mention PPG but the message is pretty clear: Shanghai is actively treating overseas players, overseas revenue, legal compliance, and long-term access to foreign markets as strategically important… not as an afterthought.
For a major Shanghai-based game company, damaging trust with a large overseas player base is not happening in a vacuum. It runs directly against the economic and industry direction Shanghai is currently promoting.
I've seen several people freaking out about the CN Play Store. I want to offer some clarify. Last night, the Play Store looked like this:
However, this was ONLY on the Play Store—the iOS App Store still only shows information for 6.0. There were also no updates to the game.
Because the App Store and the game remain unchanged, it's safe to assume that this is an oversight for the Play Store. What likely happened was that this was a scheduled update, made when Valko was still planned to release as normal. If he was released on July 9th, we would be getting Raf's 4th myth right now. However, despite the schedule changes and because of the lack of communication from Infold, the Play Store still updated the description.
Don't panic! As I said, this is likely just an oversight. I am 99.99% certain that Infold would not shadowdrop a myth. They are the highest grossing banners for LADS, and they are always hyped up on their social media. Releasing it now would be a massive mistake, and I think they know that.
Here's some hopium from this post and this post.
It really does seem to me like all of the groundwork is being laid for them to reintroduce Valko at this point.
Look at some of the government associated news we’ve received this month:
—Shanghai has already invested tens of millions of dollars into growing international markets and are making it one of their key focuses for economic expansion (PPG is in Shanghai, so their relationship is very strong)
—Shanghai publicly stated that PPG couldn’t be sued for false advertising bc they released a 6th LI
—LADS confirmed to be key cultural export project supported by the Ministry of Culture & Tourism for its ability to help spread Chinese culture (soft power) internationally
—Official news broadcast saying minors should be monitored more closely to prevent them gaining access to adult content that’s not made for them. (after the broadcast screenshots circulated online from players being asked to update their age verification in order to log in. The big site for purchasing accounts is also now requesting private age verification to sell LADS accounts)
—Official report that came out a few weeks ago highlighting the importance of listening to international players so as to not sabotage China’s future investments into global markets (the report also addresses the use of water armies to artificially sway public opinion)
—Cyberbullying laws will be going into effect in the next few months to prevent more of the kind of bullying and harassment CDG have been engaging in
Overall, PPG may not care abt global, but the Chinese gov certainly does, which means PPG has to care now, whether they want to or not. Plus, now that July is over in China & Raf’s myth hasn’t been revealed, the statement to players abt Valko’s cancellation doesn’t hold any weight anymore.
So if both this statement and the previous one reassuring players Valko wouldn’t be cancelled are both void, then PPG can now make a decision going either way with equal precedent.
The biggest obstacle rn is just domestic opinion and media spin. But a lot has happened in the last month on that front too:
—PPG released the stamped letter stating they’ll be legally pursuing anyone who spreads malicious rumors or misinformation. After this was posted, some CDG posted online that they were questioned by police abt them spreading rumors abt 731.
—PPG recently started issuing takedown requests on videos/posts spreading misinformation
—One of the main culprits who started this whole mess & her network was exposed
—The CN Valko girlies have been hard at work to set the record straight across all platforms
—Influencers all un-hid their Valko cosplays and started posting Pro-Valko posts around the same time
—With the gov saying “we need to focus on global market expansion” the public opinion will have to shift accordingly, so that they don’t appear to contradict the official stance of the government.
CDG prove the most hostile and aggressive obstacle. But they’ll only have short term power until the cyberbullying laws go into effect. After that point, they’ll be held legally accountable for their harassment and bullying online. If they try anything in person, they can be dealt with by police there too.
I think they cancelled Valko bc of the media storm and gov scrutiny, not bc of CDGs.
So with the gov reporting their efforts to expand into the global markets & the long-term consequences of Valko’s cancellation would have + the media is starting to report more objective, neutral pieces on the different aspects of the cultural context for why the smear campaign happened + ppl are being more openly pro-Valko on socials and spreading debunking posts + we know PPG were insisting on releasing him before things got too intense = to me, it’s not a question of if Valko will be released, it’s a matter of when and how.
The protest is still going strong! Their July revenue speaks for itself—players are NOT happy.
We can't stop here! Don't log in, don't spend, and keep posting. We can and will get Valko back!