u/Apprehensive-End-820

I'd like to share a suggestion for what we could do when Rafayel's fourth myth is officially announced.

I know most of us want to support Rafayel and his mains after everything that's happened, so I just wanted to reinforce the idea that, if you'd like, you could leave a comment supporting Rafayel, his mains, or simply saying something positive about the PV itself.

Personally, I think it's better not to leave negative comments about V and instead keep the focus on Rafayel, his PV, and the people who are excited for him.

It would also be nice to upvote supportive comments if you want to. That said, I honestly think the healthiest option is to leave your comment and avoid reading the rest, since they'll probably be filled with pro-V comments and I don't want anyone to have their excitement ruined.

Of course, everyone should do whatever feels right to them. I just thought it might be nice if we had a common approach going into the announcement.

What do you all think? Do you think this is a good idea, or would you prefer to handle it differently?

Hello, I'd like to share my perspective on the Valko situation, which I consider to be fairly neutral. I want to do so because I've seen people on X describe this subreddit as a place for "antis" instead of a place where people can express their opinions without being judged.

I'm a solo main, and I never wanted a sixth love interest because it would only increase the waiting time between my main's solo banners. When Valko was revealed, I was disappointed because I simply didn't want another LI. Valko isn't my type at all, but I genuinely thought his trailer was really good, and the music was great as well. I'll be honest: in some scenes I felt like he looked a bit like an NPC, especially in the very first frame. That wasn't because I was biased or already expecting to dislike him—it was my genuine first impression. I also thought he looked similar to Caleb. I didn't like how invasive he seemed when we were supposedly just meeting him either. And I'm not talking about the MC, because I know the balcony scene happened in a Bond story where they've already known each other for a while. It just personally put me off.

That said, I accepted him anyway because, even if he wasn't my type, I didn't think any of those things made him a bad character, and a lot of people clearly liked him. I also didn't think it was a problem that he used poses or outfits similar to the other LIs because, even if they were similar, they weren't exactly the same.

I actually liked the idea of him being Rafayel's "rival" because he genuinely felt like Rafayel's opposite, both in appearance and personality. From that perspective, I thought they did a good job. Since I'm a Rafayel main and I don't like anything about Valko romantically, maybe that contrast was exactly what they were aiming for.

When they canceled him, I thought it was crazy, and I wanted to support the boycott in my own way. Later, when we found out the government had gotten involved, the situation made much more sense.

As time passed, though, I gradually lost sympathy for the boycott because of the attitude of many of the people participating in it. I'm not trying to generalize, but I feel like a large portion of the boycott has become driven more by a sense of belonging, the idea of Valko, and a desire for "justice" than by anything else.

At one point I read someone describe it as a kind of mass psychosis. I don't think that's the right term because it's far too strong and offensive, and I'm sure there's a better way to describe it. But I do think it's not a coincidence that many of us have felt that there's something psychologically unusual happening within this movement.

It's not because we want our mains to be the only love interests or because we're upset that people might switch to Valko. It's because we genuinely don't understand the intensity of some of the reactions.

Crying or having a nervous breakdown because Valko was taken away? Saying he's the best character they've ever added and that he's the key to everything? Saying you'd rather see the game die than continue without Valko? We barely know anything about him. To me, it feels irrational to become so emotionally attached to a character based mostly on edits, fan art, and illustrations portraying Valko as someone who's unwanted or rejected. I honestly think those kinds of posts played a huge role in strengthening that attachment.

I'm sorry, but I do think there's some kind of psychological factor involved for some people. Again, I'm not generalizing. I understand that Valko represents many different things to different players, and I know there are people participating in the boycott for thoughtful and valid reasons.

Personally, I do hope Valko comes back for the sake of the story they originally planned. But if he doesn't, it won't affect me personally because I don't really know his character, and unfortunately his removal happened because of circumstances beyond Infold's control. I would simply wait patiently and let Infold resolve the situation step by step.

Currently, I've stepped away from the boycott and distanced myself from several groups so I can simply enjoy the game again. I'm going through a difficult time in my personal life, and this game is my comfort place.

I'm genuinely trying to be fair about the situation and remind myself that the character isn't responsible for the way people portray him, but it's been very difficult. I'm tired of what I see as irrational behavior, exaggeration, and prejudice.

At this point, I honestly feel that if Valko ultimately isn't added back, it may unfortunately be the best outcome for the game. His absence would leave a gap that Infold would have to fill by addressing the improvements the community has been asking for all along. People say the Valko movement represents all of those issues that need to be fixed, but the things that need improving are things almost everyone wants—including people who are labeled as "antis."

I've also seen many people say they're ready to spend a lot of money if Valko returns, while at the same time telling others not to spend on their own mains. To me, that feels contradictory. I know many people sincerely believe Valko represents much more than just a new love interest, but if they immediately start spending as soon as he comes back, the message they'll send to Infold is that Valko was the only thing they really cared about. That would make it much easier for Infold to ignore the rest of the long-standing issues.

Anyway, that's my perspective. Sorry for such a long post.

Maybe those who are still participating in the boycott won't consider this a neutral opinion, but I don't think expressing criticism of either the character or the boycott automatically makes someone an anti. I've tried to be as fair as possible without letting my personal dislike of Valko or the sense of belonging created by this movement cloud my judgment.