Blue Protocol’s Farewell: A Spectacular Hours-Long Rave with Anime Avatars Dancing in Perfect Harmony

Lately, there seems to be an increasing number of live service games meeting their end. Many publishers are enthusiastically swinging for the fences, aiming to create the next big online hit that generates significant revenue. However, in such a competitive landscape, games that fail to gain substantial traction are often seen as expendable.

Take, for example, the recent shutdown of the MMORPG, Blue Protocol, managed by Bandai Namco. Its demise was pre-determined last summer, before even venturing into Western markets. Fortunately, the dedicated Japanese fanbase marked its closing with style, organizing a grand farewell dance in the town square.

According to reports from the Japanese site Nlab, via Automaton, this spontaneous celebration unfolded on January 18th, as players counted down to the game’s final moments. Twitter user michsuzu documented the spectacle, sharing clips of players meticulously lined up, orchestrating synchronized dance animations to the game’s charming flute melodies. Honestly, you could overlay any iconic track like something from The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, or Faithless’ Insomnia, and it would fit perfectly.

This heartfelt farewell took place in Asterliese, Blue Protocol’s starting town. The event began around 5:30 PM Japan time, lasting until the game’s servers officially shut down at 10 PM, as captured in one of michsuzu’s videos.

The closure was marked by a goodbye message, thanking players for their unwavering support, followed by a final tremor as the servers went offline for good. Blue Protocol’s journey was undoubtedly unique, leaving a lasting impression on those who celebrated its end with bittersweet dances and nostalgia as its essence ascended to that great live service beyond.

Interestingly, there’s more to Blue Protocol’s story. Automaton notes that the game is expected to be “reincarnated” under a new title, Star Resonance, by the Tencent-supported Chinese studio, Bokura.

So, farewell Blue Protocol. You’ve departed as uniquely as you lived, leaving behind a story as peculiar as it was memorable.