Bandai Namco has made the tough decision to shut down the servers of Blue Protocol in Japan on January 18, 2025. Alongside this, the much-anticipated global release of the game, which was set to be handled by Amazon Games, has been officially canceled. The reason cited by Bandai for this closure is their inability to provide a service that would continue to meet the expectations of fans in the long term.
In their official statement, Bandai Namco expressed deep regret over the cancellation: "We have decided that it is beyond our capabilities to continue providing a service that satisfies everyone." They also voiced their disappointment in not being able to proceed with the global rollout in partnership with Amazon Games.
Final Updates and Compensation for Players
As Blue Protocol nears its end, Bandai Namco is committed to supporting the game until its final day with ongoing updates and new content. However, players should note that they will no longer be able to purchase or request refunds for the in-game currency, Rose Orbs. To compensate, Bandai Namco will distribute 5,000 Rose Orbs to players on the first day of each month from September 2024 until January 2025, along with a daily allocation of 250 Rose Orbs. Additionally, starting with the recently released Season 9 pass, all subsequent season passes will be available for free, and the final update, Chapter 7, is scheduled for release on December 18, 2024.
When Blue Protocol launched in Japan in June 2023, it sparked significant interest, achieving over 200,000 concurrent players right from the start. However, the launch was marred by server issues, prompting Bandai Namco to conduct emergency maintenance on the release day. Despite the promising beginning, the game saw a decline in player numbers and rising dissatisfaction among the community.
Despite its initial success, Blue Protocol struggled to retain its player base and did not meet Bandai Namco's financial expectations. This underperformance was highlighted in the company's financial report for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, which ultimately influenced the decision to terminate the game's services.
