BEIJING, June 30 -- Papergames' hit otome game Love and Deepspace is engulfed in what appears to be its most severe crisis since release, following the unveiling of its sixth romanceable male character, Ao Yin, and a series of contentious in-game content that has sparked widespread player outrage.

The controversy erupted on June 22 when the developer introduced Ao Yin during a surprise livestream. The character-a 26-year-old werewolf clan leader and technology conglomerate chairman-is scheduled to debut alongside Version 6.0 on July 9. But instead of excitement, the announcement triggered a torrent of criticism that has only intensified over the past week.

Player anger has coalesced around three core issues.

The first concerns Ao Yin's...