Despite financial difficulties, Bandai Namco Online still seems to want to bring the MMORPG Blue Protocol to the West. In an interview, the developers discussed what they believe has gone wrong so far.
What have the developers analyzed? In an interview with Famitsu (via Automaton), the representatives of Bandai Namco Online explained why the anime MMORPG Blue Protocol has had a difficult launch in Japan:
- A significant portion of the criticism can be traced back to one problem: The gameplay is far too repetitive, especially when it comes to advancing the story or crafting weapons.
- The developers deliberately opted for a time-consuming grind. This also stemmed from the fact that they consider themselves hardcore MMO players who grew up with grind and low drop rates.
- However, the analysis brings two insights: Firstly, the developers have not managed to make this gameplay loop sufficiently fun and motivating. Secondly, they misjudged their target audience. Instead of attracting fans of hardcore MMOs, they have drawn in casual players or fans of more modern MMORPGs with Blue Protocol.
- Apart from the main story, there are too few rewarding or entertaining side activities and challenges, as criticized by many players.
- Fundamentally, there are still several bugs that negatively impact the gaming experience.
- The developers acknowledge mistakes in communication with the community.
Blue Protocol was released in Japan last year – here is one of the trailers:
What actions will follow from these insights?
- The developers want to eliminate anything that feels like filler.
- Since the grind cannot be completely removed, what remains of the grind or repetitive activities should at least feel much more rewarding. For example, bosses should drop large treasure chests.
- Furthermore, they want to offer additional content such as treasure hunts or mini-games like beach volleyball with the next update. The developers also hint at a housing feature. They simply want to give players more reasons to enjoy spending time in the anime world of Blue Protocol.
- User-friendliness will be improved in areas that currently cause players to hit obstacles and leave the MMO for good. Guides and new comfort features for fast travel and the map are intended to further enhance the onboarding experience.
Hope for a Turnaround
Further plans for Blue Protocol were revealed by the developers days ago in a more than three-hour-long stream. There was talk of new areas, a higher level cap, fresh dungeons, and additional story content.
A new quality system for weapons, fresh endgame content, a gacha-like system for cosmetic skins, and comprehensive changes to the season pass are also on the developers’ agenda.
Shortly after the stream, however, news circulated that Bandai Namco Online might be facing insolvency. There has been no official statement from the parent company so far. The Bandai Namco Group itself is likely still doing well thanks to Elden Ring, Tekken 8, and others. More on this: The final nail in the coffin for Blue Protocol? Bad news for Bandai Namco Online comes from Japan
