Summary
Blue Protocolwas one of the most anticipated games of the year. The online action RPG, developed byBandai Namco, was released in Japan in 2023 and, in collaboration withAmazon Games, was set to hit Western shores later in 2024.
Unfortunately, the Blue Protocol and Bandai Namco teams have confirmed that they will be ending support for the game and are canceling the Western version in the process.
Blue Protocol Support Ending Next Year
A little more than a year after launch, statements appeared on theBlue ProtocolandBandai Namco websitesconfirming the game’s cancelation.
The Blue Protocol website statement reads: “Bandai Namco Online announced that they have made the difficult decision to end service on BLUE PROTOCOL. They will shut down their Japanese BLUE PROTOCOL servers in January 2025, and have ended plans to release the game in the West in collaboration with Amazon Games.” The statement continues, adding, “We know this is disappointing news, and we share your disappointment. We love the world and characters of BLUE PROTOCOL, and we were excited to welcome players around the world into Regnas. We join Bandai Namco Online in expressing deep gratitude to the passionate fans who followed BLUE PROTOCOL development and participated in the Closed Technical Test.”
While much of the statement on the Bandai Namco website reads the same, the company says it “enjoyed a strong relationship with Amazon Games throughout the development of Blue Protocol,” before saying, “We know there has been great anticipation for Blue Protocol since the first announcement of the game. We wanted to deliver an experience that is like stepping into the world of anime, and we have been challenging ourselves to create a world where each and every player can enjoy adventures as the main character of the anime. We have worked hard to prepare for the release; however, we have come to the conclusion that it will not be possible to provide a service that satisfies all of you.”
Bandai Namco ending support for the game comes as no major surprise, as in September last year, it was reported thatthe game was already in trouble.
The closure of Blue Protocol is the latest in the line of live service mishaps this year. Yesterday,Square Enixconfirmed that the recently releasedFoam Stars will be going free-to-playamid reports of low player numbers, and players arealready struggling to find matches in Concorddespite thePlayStationgame releasing less than a week ago.
Blue Protocol
WHERE TO PLAY
Bandai Namco’s Blue Protocol is an online action JRPG that will launch for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. The game will be free to play.
