Love and Deepspace Issues Safety Warning After Posting Recipes with Toxic Plants

2 min read
Source: kotaku.com
Love and Deepspace Issues Safety Warning After Posting Recipes with Toxic Plants
Photo: kotaku.com
TL;DR

Developers of the mobile RPG Love and Deepspace issued a safety notice after posting cocktail recipes featuring poisonous plants. The social media campaign, which offered in-game currency for engagement, included ingredients like Datura and Flame Lily, which can cause hallucinations or severe poisoning. The post went viral, prompting a rapid correction from the studio.

Key points

  • Papergames posted five cocktail recipes on X on September 29, 2026, featuring in-game slime characters.
  • The recipes included real-world toxic plants such as Datura (psychoactive) and Flame Lily (contains colchicine).
  • The post received over 4 million views and 2,200 comments, with users warning others not to recreate the drinks.
  • Approximately 24 hours later, the official account posted a safety notice stating the drinks are fictional and should not be consumed in reality.
  • The incident follows a period of intense fan scrutiny regarding the game's character releases and revenue trends.

Background

Love and Deepspace, developed by Papergames, is a popular otome-style gacha game that has faced significant fan backlash in 2026. Previous controversies included the cancellation of a new character, Valko, after fans protested his design, and subsequent revenue drops. The game’s intense community engagement has led to heightened scrutiny of its marketing efforts.

How outlets are covering it

Kotaku and PC Gamer emphasize the danger of the specific ingredients, noting that Datura causes hallucinations and Flame Lily contains colchicine. ixbt.games highlights the potential for severe poisoning or death. MustShareNews notes that the post gained over 4 million views and that some users speculated the content was generated by AI without proper oversight. All sources agree that the developers issued a prompt safety correction.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the risks of automated or insufficiently vetted social media content in the gaming industry. It underscores the need for rigorous fact-checking in marketing campaigns, especially when involving real-world substances that could pose health risks to fans.

What to watch

Papergames may face increased scrutiny over its content moderation processes. The studio may need to implement stricter review protocols for social media posts to prevent similar incidents. The game's reputation may be affected by this lapse, though the quick response may mitigate long-term damage.

Share this article

Want the full story? Read the original reporting

Read on kotaku.com