Bandai Namco with no plans right now for a Blue Protocol western release

If you could just see me now… I have this surprise look in my face like I never had before. Well, maybe it has happened once or twice, such as the case of Phantasy Star Online's North American release being announced.

But in this specific case, it's obvious sarcasm. Bandai Namco recently revealed the anime MMORPG Blue Protocol to the world, but with a huge “Japan” stamp on it. The first closed alpha ended a couple of days ago and the overall impressions point to a really promising anime RPG.

Obviously, every anime fan at heart in the world is curious about Blue Protocol. Will it release in the west or is it going to remain a Japan exclusive? Personally, it's too early to have a straight answer, but our Blue Protocol first impressions will tell you that this game is most likely set to release in other territories. The original press release mentions how Bandai Namco wants to “impress the world” with Blue Protocol, but the most glaring piece of evidence was found in the closed alpha client: language files for English, Russian, Korean and Portuguese. If that's not a sign that there are plans for various international releases, then I don't know what is.

Yesterday, a Reddit user called Furia_BD said that he received word from Bandai Namco that a Blue Protocol western release isn't planned at the moment, but that this is subject to change:

“I've just received word from Bandai Namco that they have no plans for a western release at the moment. However, they also said that “this is subject to change”, so there is still a chance that Blue Protocol will hit the western market in the future.”

Obviously, take this with a (huge) grain of salt. There doesn't seem to be any source to support this statement, and you know how easy it is for someone to make stuff up while stroking their cat and laughing maniacally.

However, there isn't anything remotely surprising in this claim. For an online game that was just announced and still has a long way to go, it makes sense that Bandai Namco doesn't want to commit to other releases at the moment. Give it time, let it grow and eventually release in Japan, and then we'll talk about the likeness of a Blue Protocol western release.