Project KV Cancelled After Backlash Over Similarities with 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 regarding the gameās similarities. The studio emphasized its commitment to preventing further issues and announced the project's cancellation. 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 gameās characters, narrative, 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 projectās cancellation.
Blue Archive vs. āRed Archiveā
Korean publisher Dynamis One, helmed by former Blue Archive developer Park Byeong-Lim, generated buzz upon its launch in April of this year. Park, with key personnel, departed Nexon to establish the new firm, raising questions among Blue Archive enthusiasts.Nevertheless, the reveal of Project KV months later ignited a fervent online debate. Fans swiftly noted striking parallels between the new project and Nexonās Blue Archive. Concerns encompassed the general visual style and soundtrack to the fundamental premise: a Japanese-style metropolis populated by female students wielding weapons.
Exacerbating the situation was the presence of a "Master" figure echoing Blue Archiveās "Sensei." Further, characters in Project KV feature halo-like ornaments above their heads, similar to those in Blue Archive.
These halos were one of the most debated aspects of the controversies 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 Nexonās emphasis on the importance of these halos, their presence in Project KV raised concerns among fans. Many felt that the project was attempting to leverage Blue Archiveās success by adopting similar visual markers, despite the absence of a direct link between the two. This led to accusations of copying and the perception that Project KV was a clear imitation.
Fans even speculated that "KV" represents "Kivotos," the fictional city in Blue Archive. As if it were a counterpoint to the aforementioned, many dubbed 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 controversy by sharing a post on Twitter (X) from a Blue Archive fan account that explained Project KVās 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 founded by employees who departed Nexon Games, the developer of Blue Archive."
Ultimately, the intensely negative response proved to be Project KVās downfall. Dynamis One announced the gameās 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 unanswered.