The sudden announcement of the closure of Blue Protocol by Bandai Namco Online and Amazon Games, and the cancellation of its global release, hit the gaming world by storm last week. Fans of the game, however, were assured by Amazon that the developers would not be laid off but reassigned to other projects.
For some, the shutdown of Blue Protocol was anticipated due to ongoing issues at Bandai Namco. The Japanese video game publisher had earlier announced financial insolvency, causing speculation about the future of the game. The ultimate decision to shut down, after a silent period from both Amazon Games and Bandai Namco, seemed predestined. With this move, Blue Protocol joins the line of promising MMOs that never made it to a global platform.
Whilst the gaming industry has been plagued by lay-offs in recent years, it’s heartening to note that the Blue Protocol team will not be jobless. An official from Amazon Games confirmed that developers will be transitioned to other ventures, ensuring their skills remain useful. “All members of the Blue Protocol team will have new roles at Amazon Games” said the representative, reassuring the team of their job security.
This decision comes in a time where lay-offs are prevalent across the gaming industry, impacting big names such as Microsoft and Bungie. Amazon too has had its share, laying off180 employees the past year. The choice to keep the Blue Protocol team intact offers hope amidst these challenging circumstances.
The future role of Mike Zadorojny, Blue Protocol’s Franchise Lead, is unclear. With Amazon set to launch Throne and Liberty and New World: Aeternum in October, and ongoing development of its Lord of the Rings MMO, Zadorojny’s expertise will be invaluable. An announcement for his new role has yet to be made, but with Amazon’s current portfolio, there seems to be ample opportunities.
Though the journey for Blue Protocol has ended, the game’s developers are preparing for new quests, taking their experience and creativity to Amazon’s other game projects. Bandai Namco will continue to keep the Japanese servers operational until January 18, 2025.
Leave a Reply