Bandai Namco cancels Blue Protocol western release and announces server shutdown
Blue Protocol launched in Japan in December 2023 and was due to be released worldwide by Amazon Games at some point in 2024. However, Bandai Namco has now confirmed it is shutting down the Japanese version of Blue Protocol on January 18, 2025, and that development on the Western version of the game has stopped.
“We regret to inform you that the Japanese version of Blue Protocol will be discontinued on Saturday, January 18, 2025,” a statement from the Blue Protocol management team reads.
“As a result, we have also canceled our plans to release a Western version of the game in collaboration with Amazon Games. We have enjoyed a strong relationship with Amazon Games throughout the development of Blue Protocol, and both of our teams are disappointed that we will not be able to deliver the game to players around the world.
“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.”
With the servers closing on January 18, 2025, all 39 Blue Protocol achievements will be discontinued in the Japanese version. If you are thinking of going for the completion in the free-to-play MMORPG before the shutdown date, Blue Protocol is available to download via the Japan Xbox storefront. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough data to give you a completion estimate.
In other server closure news, Nexon recently announced it was shutting down KartRider: Drift next year. In September, servers for four Xbox games are scheduled to close.