At last month’s Gamescom in Cologne, Love and Deepspace, a 3D romance mobile game developed by Infold Games, won the Best Mobile Game Award, becoming the first female-oriented game to ever receive this honor. This marks not only a historic breakthrough for China’s gaming industry, but also suggests the rise and influence of female-oriented titles on the global stage.
An innovative 3D immersive romance experience
Since its launch in January 2024, Love and Deepspace has broken genre boundaries with its fully 3D, dynamic interactive design. Through cinematic storytelling and first-person immersion, the game takes the sense of “companionship” to new heights. To date, it has attracted more than 70 million players worldwide and topped iOS charts in over 30 countries and regions, including Japan, the US, and Singapore, according to the company.
Creative inspiration: the intersection of future and love
In an interview with TechNode, Love and Deepspace producer Lizi explained that the inspiration came from her passion for romance games and the growing influence of science fiction in China. “What if we combine human emotions with visions of the future and deep space? Would that create a new kind of experience? That was our starting point.” She believes love and the future are naturally intertwined—love is a driving force behind humanity’s exploration of the stars.
Character design that gives soul to holographic figures
Character design in Love and Deepspace emphasizes a sense of “holographic presence.” Appearance delivers the first impression, personality shapes uniqueness, and storylines bring growth and vitality, according to the producer. “What we want to present is not just a character, but a soulful being that resonates with players,” said Lizi.
For each love interest in Love and Deepspace, the development team spent over two years refining the character. They carefully envisioned each character’s personality and built a complete life story, treating him as a real person and paying close attention to every detail.
Player feedback confirms this design philosophy, Lizi added. Some said the game helped them realize they are “worthy of love” and reshaped their view of relationships. Others became more confident and healthy through the fitness companion feature. One retired player even said that the game strengthened her bond with her daughter.
Storytelling and music that build emotional resonance
Lizi said the team aims to let players experience love rooted in “equality and respect.” As the game’s slogan declares: “Traversing Deepspace, Be With You.” This idea runs through both the core battle system and the emotional connections the game fosters, underscoring companionship in facing growth and challenges. Music also plays a central role—Sarah Brightman performs the theme song, while original compositions weave throughout the story, battles, and emotional climaxes.
Technical challenges in achieving cinematic quality on mobile
The development team faced technical hurdles in bringing cinematic quality to mobile devices, according to Lizi. From strands of hair to skin textures, from dynamic clothing to lifelike sweat effects, years of work and substantial resources were invested to make the best possible experience. “With no existing references, we had to trial and error repeatedly. Fortunately, we had a young and talented team,” Lizi recalled.
To optimize details, the team devoted over a year to developing natural, voluminous hair using film-level visual effects. Skin textures were captured with a 50-camera 4D scanning array, enabling accurate simulation of muscles and surfaces. For clothing, an automated system was built to render complex, flowing outfits with minimal mobile processing load. Even sweat was carefully designed—when the love interest throws a punch, droplets fly realistically along his motion path.
Looking ahead to expanding the boundaries of interaction
Looking to the future, Love and Deepspace will continue pushing the boundaries of narrative and interaction while exploring emerging technologies such as VR, AR, and MR. Infold Games also plans to roll out updates with new story chapters and gameplay features, deepening the emotional connection between players and characters.
A global impact through the digital emotion revolution
From the tech behind it to the players’ reactions, Love and Deepspace is more than just a popular mobile game—it represents an ongoing digital emotion revolution. With sincere emotional expression and technological breakthroughs, it is reshaping how players around the world imagine “Made in China.” At the same time, the growing impact of female-oriented titles shows how significantly the share of women players has expanded in China’s gaming market.
