Is Blue Protocol the Next Big MMORPG?

I know that’s a common question whenever we see new MMOs get announced. Could this be the next big thing, or will it fail like those before it?
Regardless, I covered Blue Protocol when it was first announced a couple weeks ago but since then a lot of information and even gameplay trailers have been released revealing additional features and a deeper look at the game.
But before we get into that, let me quickly inform those of you who are unaware of what Blue Protocol is what we’re looking at.

It’s a AAA funded Anime MMORPG created by none other than one of our favorite JRPG developers – Bandai Namco.
They’re the people behind Code Vein, the Tales of games including the upcoming Tales of Arise, God Eater 3, Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth, and they’re just the recent games.
So they’ve been in this industry for a while. With Blue Protocol, however, they’re kind of treading in new waters as they don’t traditionally do MMOs. But it’s always good to step out of your comfort zone and try new things.
Blue Protocol is what a lot of us were thinking Genshin Impact would be – a vibrant, open full-fledged MMORPG as confirmed by Bandai Namco themselves.
The goal of the game? Recreate something right out of an Anime movie and redefine the MMORPG genre with a high quality AAA title, something we haven’t had in years.
As Bandai Namco is behind the game, if you weren’t aware, that means the game is coming out of Japan. Rarely do we get MMORPGs out of Japan anymore.
The last large one, the last highly anticipated one was way back with Final Fantasy XIV. And boy is it good.
Since then we’ve gotten Korean grinder after Korean grinder with new Korean grinders on the horizon for people to be excited for.
Currently, not too much is known about the game. It’s set in a scifi fantasy world – exactly how much scifi and how much fantasy remains to be seen as it’s difficult to determine from the trailer.
Regardless, the two are melded together to create what looks to be a familiar setting for fantasy-RPG fans.

Combat in Blue Protocol is action-based. From what we’ve seen, it’s complete action just like you’d find in KurtzPel or Soul Worker. And boy does it look flashy.
I swear, if I didn’t know any better I’d wager a guess they shared some of the team behind Tales of Arise. It can’t be a coincidence that this looks as similar as it does, which isn’t a bad thing at all, mind you.
Quite the opposite, actually. If some of the team from the Tales studio is working on this as well then combat is something we definitely won’t have to worry about.
Despite their stories sometimes lacking, combat has always been handled exceptionally well in the Tales of games.

4 classes have been confirmed thus far:

The Aegis Fighter which seems to be a sword and shield wielding tank

The Blast Archer which really should be self explanatory, but if not, then.. it’s an Archer that shoots arrows with a bow

The Spell Caster which uses a staff and since the Aegis Fighter is likely a tank, the Spell Caster is likely the healer but might be a hybrid between DPS Mage and healer, who knows, and finally

The Twin Striker – a dual Axe wielding dude that may be able to wield dual swords and other weapons as well. Dunno yet.

Why yes, yes there most definitely is.
While I can’t say with certainty that there will be a large variety of outfits with which to customize your character with in-game, Bandai Namco did recently reveal a character creation trailer to whet our appetites.
In it we get to see the large variety of sliders and the amount of customization we have over the characters’ bodies.
You can choose from a sizeable selection of facial options and quite a few facial sliders, hairstyles, colors and more.
Then you can customize your body – pretty much every facet of your body, actually. You can be a tall, voluptuous, heavy-chested woman or even a more loli-esque girl if that’s your thing.
It’s not mine, but I know there are a lotta you out there into lolis so.
It’d be nice to get a confirmation from Bandai Namco on exactly how much in the way of customization will be in-game but with the Alpha Test coming up I’m sure we’ll get to see soon enough.

Oh wait, I should’ve mentioned that earlier I guess, right?
Yes, currently, Bandai Namco are sending out Alpha keys to 500 select players who will be allowed in-game for a Closed Alpha test.
Exactly how much of the game is complete right now is unknown, and how much of the game players will be able to experience is also unknown, but, the Alpha lasts from July 26th until July 28th.
While I’m not capable of getting in myself, I hope people capture enough of the game for us to get a clear look at exactly what it’s going to be.
If the game gets a confirmed localization in North America and Europe, you’ll be certain that I’ll have beta keys to give out to everyone that is subscribed and following my wife MrsStix and myself on Twitter.

Yeah, no Western release is confirmed yet as the game was literally just announced for a Japanese release. But it’s unlikely Bandai Namco will keep it as a Japanese exclusive.
They’d be cutting out a very large market if they opted to go that route.
As for when we’ll get a confirmation? Unlikely to be this year as we won’t even have a confirmed Japanese release this year but next year could very well be likely.

Man this game looks so good. It could be the MMORPG to bring the Anime genre back from the graveyard. Currently, outside of Burning Soul Worker and Eden Eternal Vendetta, we have absolutely no Anime MMOs worth playing.
We only have Peria Chronicles to look forward to sometime in the future. And with Genshin Impact a solo game, Blue Protocol is the only other Anime MMO on the horizon.
It looks amazing, feels amazing and I’m hoping it plays as amazingly as it does in the trailer because if so, you’re gonna find me lost in there for days at a time.

But that’s just my opinion – my first impression of the game. What do you guys think? Are you excited? Are you looking forward to eventually trying it out or do you even want to?