Project KV, a visual novel-style game from former Blue Archive developers, has been canceled. Read on to discover what may have prompted the game’s cancellation.

Project KV Cancelled After Backlash Over Resemblance to Blue ArchiveProject KV Devs Issue Apology for the Uproar

Dynamis One, a development studio established by former Blue Archive developers, has canceled their upcoming game, Project KV. The game, which attracted considerable attention upon its announcement, became mired in controversy due to its striking resemblance to Blue Archive, the mobile gacha game the team previously worked on at Nexon Games.

The studio announced the cancellation on Twitter (X) on September 9th. In their statement, Dynamis One apologized for the trouble and uproar caused by Project KV and acknowledged the concerns raised about the game’s similarities. The studio emphasized its commitment to preventing further issues and announced the cancellation of the project. Additionally, Dynamis One expressed its regret to fans who had supported Project KV and stated that all related materials would be removed online.

The studio concluded by promising to work harder to fulfill fan expectations.

Project KV debuted its first promotional video on August 18th this year. This initial preview showcased a short narrative introduction with complete voice acting and presented the participating development studios. Two weeks later, a second preview was released, providing a more detailed view of the game’s characters, storyline, and central figures. However, the project was abruptly canceled a week following the second preview’s release.

While today marks a disappointing day for Dynamis One, online communities appear to be celebrating the project’s cancellation.

Blue Archive vs. ‘Red Archive’

Korean publisher Dynamis One, helmed by former Blue Archive developer Park Byeong-Lim, generated significant buzz upon its launch in April of this year. Park, with key colleagues, departed Nexon to establish the new company, raising questions among Blue Archive enthusiasts.

Nevertheless, the debut of Project KV months later ignited a fervent online debate. Fans swiftly noted striking parallels between the new project and Nexon’s Blue Archive. Concerns encompassed the visual style and soundtrack to the fundamental premise: a Japanese-style metropolis populated by female students wielding weapons.

Further intensifying the controversy was the presence of a "Master" character evocative of Blue Archive’s "Sensei." Also noteworthy is a halo-like ornament above characters in Project KV, echoing the halos in Blue Archive.

These halos were one of the most debated aspects of the disputes surrounding the project. In Blue Archive, halos are not merely decorative elements but carry significant narrative significance, serving as a visual emblem of the IP.

Given Nexon’s emphasis on the importance of these halos, their presence in Project KV raised worries among fans. Many felt that the project was trying to leverage Blue Archive’s success by adopting similar visual markers, despite the absence of a direct link between the two. This led to allegations of plagiarism and the perception that Project KV was a clear imitation.

Fans even conjectured that "KV" stands for "Kivotos," the fictional city in Blue Archive. As if in contrast to the aforementioned, many nicknamed it "Red Archive," suspecting it to be a derivative extension of the existing IP.

Despite this, Kim Yong-ha, the general producer of Blue Archive, indirectly addressed the dispute by sharing a post on Twitter (X) from a Blue Archive fan account that explained Project KV’s lack of connection to the original IP.

Translated, the post reads: "Project KV is not a sequel to Blue Archive. It is not a spin-off either. It is a game being developed by a company established by employees who left Nexon Games, the developer of Blue Archive."

Ultimately, the overwhelmingly negative response proved to be Project KV’s downfall. Dynamis One announced the game’s cancellation without elaborating. While some expressed disappointment at the lost potential, many saw it as a deserved consequence of the alleged plagiarism. Whether Dynamis One will learn from this mistake and pursue a more unique vision for future projects remains to be seen.