These days, it seems like live service games are dropping left and right. Many publishers are swinging for the fences, trying to find their next big online sensation. However, it’s no easy feat, and games that don’t catch on tend to be quickly written off as sunk costs.
Take MMORPG Blue Protocol as a case in point. The game was recently shut down by Bandai Namco, following a timeline the publisher had set the previous summer. Unfortunately, the game never even made it to Western audiences. But the dedicated Japanese fanbase gave it a proper send-off with an epic dance party in the town square.
According to Japanese site Nlab, via Automaton, when the server shutdown was scheduled for January 18, fans organized an impromptu rave that lasted over four hours. Twitter user michsuzu captured the moment, sharing videos of players arranging their avatars into neat lines while syncing up their dance animations. The game’s signature whimsical flute tunes kept time, though you could replace the audio with any iconic track—be it from The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, or even Faithless’ “Insomnia”—and the vibe would remain electric.
Players gathered in Blue Protocol’s starting town, Asterliese, to dance away between 5:30 PM and 10 PM Japan time. When the clock struck shutdown, the game bid players farewell with a thank-you note, followed by a final disconnect as the servers went offline. It was a heartfelt goodbye to a game with an admittedly quirky life. The community’s mournful dances were a fitting tribute as the server slipped into oblivion.
In a twist of fate, Automaton reports that this isn’t quite the end for Blue Protocol. A new game, Star Resonance, is already on the horizon, backed by Tencent and developed by the Chinese studio Bokura. So, goodbye for now, Blue Protocol. You came to an end as bizarrely as you lived, in essentially your own unique style.
