Today, publisher A Plus announced the Western release date of the free-to-play MMORPG Blue Protocol: Star Resonance. The game will be available in Europe, North America, and South America via PC (Steam, Epic Games Store) and mobile (iOS, Android) starting October 9. The studio had previously announced that the game would be released in October, but now fans have the exact day.
As you might recall, Blue Protocol was originally developed by Bandai Namco Online Studios. It launched two years ago in Japan, only on PC. Amazon Games was supposed to publish the game for PC and consoles in Western countries, but it was completely unsuccessful in Japan and was thus shut down, seemingly preventing the Western debut as well.
However, earlier this year, developer Shanghai Bokura Network Technology acquired the game rights to launch Blue Protocol: Star Resonance for PC and mobile devices, effectively reviving the project.
There are some differences between Star Resonance and the original game, though. Firstly, the business model, which was supposed to be buy-to-play and is now free-to-play with gacha monetization system. On the upside, Shanghai Bokura Network Technology created a seamless open world environment, whereas Blue Protocol had segmented explorable zones, and also added traversal mechanics like gliding.
The action combat system is faster-paced now, featuring more complex boss mechanics and a detailed endgame with PvE raids. The original's hybrid class roles have also been overhauled into a stricter MMO-like "holy trinity" (tank, support, damage). Finally, the narrative is different as well.
For now, there's been no mention of a console launch, but that does not mean it will not happen in the future. Of course, Blue Protocol: Star Resonance would have to succeed on PC and mobile first before the developer and publisher could consider an expansion to console platforms at a later time.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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