How Love and Deepspace wins the heart of women gamers

On International Women’s Day 2025, Niko Partners, as a certified woman-owned business, would like to give a shout out to all women in the games industry, as well as female gamers who now make up a significant portion of both the workforce and revenue in a previously male-dominated landscape.

Women make up 34-38% of gamers in the Asian countries that Niko Partners tracks*. In India, one of the fastest-growing markets in the continent, paying female gamers in the country spend 8.5% more per month on games than their male counterparts (here’s our Knowledge Brief about this trend). However, when it comes to video game content, marketing, events, and other activities, we still see an environment catered to and dominated by men. There still exists enough anecdotal evidence to suggest that women are not considered “real gamers” or are seen as an afterthought by games companies.

These viewpoints could not be further from the truth, as women are active and serious when it comes to gaming, both in terms of the types of games played and how much they are willing to spend. When it comes to preferred genre, for example, Niko’s research found that the five most-played categories by female gamers in Asia are:

Interestingly, 3 out of the 5 are genres that have a strong esports component, thoroughly dispelling the myth that women gamers are not competitive. Even non-competitive genres such as puzzle and RPG, and to a lesser extent simulation, have seen games generating high revenue from their female fanbase. Nowhere is this better exemplified than by the latest iteration of Chinese game company Papergames’ Love and Deepspace (LADS). Papergames, which specifically caters its products to women, is known for its Nikki and Love and franchises, with notable titles including the recently-released open world adventure RPG Infinity Nikki and dating simulation (otome) game Love and Producer (known globally as Mr. Love: Queen’s Choice).

LADS (an ironic, though fitting, acronym) is the latest entry in the Love and franchise, with the game expanding the dating simulation playstyle with RPG and action elements. Players engage in combat against monsters while engaging in daily life simulation and puzzles and, of course, the ability to romance a multitude of men catering to different characteristics and tastes that the franchise has become known for.

LADS utilizes immersive 3D graphics with a first-person POV that makes it stand out compared to other otome games. In addition to adventures and battles, gameplay consists of pursuing love interests – the male characters – while playing as a young woman, whose appearance and voice can be customized. The game also features a “Remind Me” tool, allowing players to use the game for daily, important reminders, as well as for period cycle reminders. Each of the characters (Rafayel, Silus, Caleb, Xavier, and Zayne) have their own personality and appearance, and thus their own followings – mimicking boy group fan bases.

The game features a period tracker called “Remind Me” (Source: Papergames)

Since its launch in January 2024, LADS has generated over $446 million in revenue, 36% of which came from outside China. Overseas, the game has been able to attain a significant following in Asian countries, with Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines ranking within the top 15 countries whose gamers spend on the game. While Japan is known to be the birthplace of the otome sub-genre, the game’s success in Korea and Southeast Asia is unprecedented.

The title is estimated to have generated more than $35 million in revenue from Japan and Korea, and more than $10 million from Southeast Asia, and Niko Partners’ Zeng Xiaofeng expects LADS to maintain this traction in 2025. Given this, the game merits a deeper dive into how it has made waves with women gamers. We use Thailand and Indonesia as examples and attempt to show what games companies can learn about this cohort through this examination.

Despite not being officially localized in Thai, LADS has seen great success in Thailand, ranking as the 5th top-grossing iPhone app in the Games / Simulation category and the 32nd top-grossing iPhone app in the Games category on the Thai App Store as of February 28th, 2025. The game is estimated to have been downloaded 200,000 times in the last month, with approximate revenues of $7 million from the market.

To make up for the lack of official dubbing, fans have released unofficial Thai subtitles and roleplay dubs. LADS also sees healthy representation on social media and livestreaming platforms despite the language barrier, owing to its immense draw among women gamers. Thai LADS fans have established Facebook pages to discuss their in-game accomplishments and gacha openings, with some even relating their real-life activities to the game, such as informing their AI LADS character of their upcoming exams, with the character showing their support. This level of immersion, coupled with the game’s excellent 3D graphics, unseen in the otome genre before this, is at the core of what makes LADS so popular. There are currently no other games on the market that enhance the relationship experience of women like this title does.

The game has also collaborated with local Thai businesses, such as its partnership in December 2024 with Bearhouse, a successful milk tea brand. This collaboration has included the launch of LADS souvenirs, pins, postcards, and cup sleeves as part of a promotional set. All of this, in the context of a game without an official Thai localization, is a testament to its popularity among women gamers in the country.

Bearhouse customers can enjoy their drink in a LADS-themed cup (Source: Bearhouse Official Instagram)

In Indonesia, LADS ranked first in sales in December 2024, surpassing Chinese developer miHoYo’s Zenless Zone Zero and Honkai: Star Rail. Despite Indonesian gamers typically choosing to not spend money on games, female Indonesian gamers are spending large amounts to unlock perks and items, with one player reportedly having spent over IDR 3 million ($181), or Indonesia’s average monthly wage, per month on in-game purchases.

LADS’ popularity in Indonesia has increased significantly in recent months due to social media discussion surrounding Indonesian streamer Windah Basudara’s controversial plan to stream the game. Given the enticing/romantic nature of the game, LADS players have noted that the title was not suitable for Basudara’s younger audience (we note the game is rated 12+ on the Google Play and Apple App stores). These players asked Basudara to cancel the livestream, which he acquiesced to. However, he said that while he wanted to try the game itself, he also wanted to attempt to attract a new audience to his channel.

This public dispute has had a positive impact on LADS in Indonesia, with AppMagic recording a significant increase in the number of LADS downloads in the country. At the height of the debate in mid-January, the number of downloads in Indonesia alone increased to more than 3,150 daily, over three times the average daily downloads prior to this.

These country-level examples, along with LADS’ popularity across Asia, showcases the importance of women gamers in the region. Considering the amount of time and money this audience is spending on the title, we could expect see even higher levels of engagement and industry-wide benefits if other developers focus on releasing games that try and capture this zeitgeist the way LADS has done.

LADS provides a virtual boyfriend experience that captivates women gamers
(Source: LADS Global Official Group Facebook page)

More developers and publishers should rethink their strategies to appeal to women gamers and other diverse communities. As a global expert on games markets in Asia and MENA, Niko Partners has been trusted by the biggest names in the industry for over two decades. And as a certified woman-owned business, we are committed to fostering inclusion and diversity in our research and internal team. Our work on women in gaming reflects these values, and we aim to amplify the message of representation and opportunity.

Niko’s reports are based on our gamer survey that include responses from women gamers as well as industry leaders. Reach out to us at sales@nikopartners.com if you are looking for strategic guidance and customized solutions on engaging and leveraging women gamers.

Authors:

Salsabila Aziziah, Nina Kitkrua , and Jacob Illing-Wilson

Romance and Safe Space: How Love and Deepspace wins the heart of women gamers