It will still be quite some time before the Blue Protocol global version appears worldwide, even with the Japanese version on PCs now and heading consoles before 2023 ends. To learn more about how things are going, Siliconera spoke to Amazon Games’ Franchise Leader Mike Zadorojny about the company’s plans.
Jenni Lada: What has it been like preparing for the worldwide launch of Blue Protocol while the Japanese PC version is running?
Mike Zadorojny: Preparing for the launch of Blue Protocol in the West while the Japanese PC version is Live has provided a unique and exciting journey. The launch of Blue Protocol in Japan earlier this year was a big, exciting moment and we strive to have similar success with the Western launch next year. As a team, catering to our playerbase is of the utmost importance to us. As such, we’ve had the opportunity to gather feedback and work with both Bandai Namco Online and Bandai Namco Studios to make necessary adjustments to our approach.
How have the Japanese updates and experiences, as well as player feedback, affected preparations for the worldwide release?
Zadorojny: All of these have been pivotal in helping shape the Western release. The development team has been listening to the players in order to make positive changes in updates. For example, the open-world boss events are now more approachable to players in the area. We want to make sure that together with Bandai Namco Online and Bandai Namco Studios we’re delivering an experience that values our players’ time. Ultimately our goal is to create a game that is not only fun moment-to-moment but leads our playerbase through a longer-term story arc and connects them with other players.
How are you planning to handle the global launch compared to the Japanese one? For example, do you know what the update schedule will look like?
Zadorojny: Our team learned a lot looking back on the Japanese launch and our goal is to create a similar excitement with the Western launch that will resonate with players here. We are putting major focuses on our Megaserver infrastructure, which allows players from around the Western territory to play together, and on our localization efforts to provide the most authentic Blue Protocol experience possible, that feels representative of our Western playerbase. Players have a lot to look forward to in the world of Blue Protocol, and we are excited to share a more concrete timeline and details in the future.
Are there plans to get the global version of Blue Protocol on par with the Japanese one in terms of content updates?
Zadorojny: For now, any adjustments that the team makes to the Japanese version will be reflected in the Western version at launch. As the game moves into post-launch, we will continue to implement and prioritize player feedback regularly and would love for both versions to sync up sometime in the future. However, the time needed for localizing content is something to consider as being a challenge to having both Western and Japanese versions sync up in terms of timing.Â
The Blitz Lancer class ended up being added to Blue Protocol in August 2023. Will it be added post-launch worldwide or will we see it at launch in the global version?
Zadorojny: The Blitz Lancer class will be included in Blue Protocol at launch and we’re excited to bring this class to Western players along with the game next year.
A Blue Protocol livestream aired in Japan going over the microtransactions, Adventure Boards, and balancing problems. Will these problems be addressed before the worldwide debut?
Zadorojny: As a team, we’re working hard to ensure that issues affecting players’ experiences are addressed frequently and that known issues are not present in the game for the Western launch. To your point about microtransactions, it is important to us that we create a fun and fair monetization system where players can progress in Blue Protocol without the requirement of making a purchase. As a result, players can earn in-game currency and rare items by completing quests and missions. They also can also earn random cosmetic items from The Capsulator, which is the Western version of the Gacha box.
Are there any plans for global features that will appear at launch that aren’t available in the Japanese version already?
Zadorojny: We have made sure that certain features are tailored to Western audiences, including accessibility features, monetization and character customization options. We want to balance making the game approachable to Western players, while providing an authentic experience.
Has the team encountered any problems with preparing the global release that didn’t come up with the Japanese one?
Zadorojny: Not problems, just different challenges when taking a regional product to a larger playerbase. Creating the right server infrastructure that allows the maximum flexibility for matchmaking and group play was important to us. On the localization side, our goal is to publish a game that stays true to the Blue Protocol brand, while also making it feel fresh and relevant from a Western perspective. This has been a fine line to walk, but our goal is for Western players to have an exciting time jumping into the world of Blue Protocol on day one.
Has there been any discussion about what the Blue Protocol gacha for the global version will look like at launch and will contents follow the same pattern as the Japanese release?
Zadorojny: The teams at Bandai Namco and Amazon Games are still working on these systems for the West. We look forward to sharing more details on how this will work in our version of Blue Protocol as we get closer to the game’s launch next year.
Blue Protocol is available on the PC in Japan, with the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions launching in the region in Winter 2023. It will appear worldwide on the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2024.
