Blue Protocol, the long-awaited anime MMO developed by Bandai Namco Online, successfully launched in Japan last week after years of development. In its first week, the game achieved impressive milestones and garnered significant player engagement.
According to Bandai Namco Online and their PR agency, over 600,000 players have already joined Blue Protocol since its launch on June 14th. The game also boasted a peak concurrent player count of over 200,000 during that initial week. Notably, Blue Protocol achieved these player count milestones faster than any other PC online game in Japan’s history. Despite encountering typical launch issues common in MMO releases, the game has displayed promising potential.
Anticipation for Blue Protocol has been building for years, with the development team regularly sharing updates leading up to its free-to-play release. Interestingly, some of the 600,000 players may not be solely from Japan, as Western players have been accessing the game through methods like VPNs.
The launch of Blue Protocol sets the stage for the upcoming release by Amazon Games, which has recently been delayed until 2024. The MMO will be published by Amazon in the West, initially on PC and later on Xbox Series S/X and PlayStation 5. To offer players a glimpse of what’s to come, a closed beta test is scheduled for this year in the Western regions.