Project KV Cancelled After Negative Reactions Over Blue Archive Similarities

Former Blue Archive Developers Cancel Project KV Amidst Plagiarism Accusations

Dynamis One, a studio founded by ex-Blue Archive developers, has pulled the plug on its upcoming visual novel, Project KV. The game, which initially generated significant buzz, faced intense backlash due to its striking resemblance to its predecessor, the popular mobile gacha game Blue Archive.

The cancellation announcement, made via X (formerly Twitter) on September 9th, included an apology from Dynamis One for the controversy. The studio acknowledged concerns regarding Project KV’s similarities to Blue Archive and committed to avoiding such issues in the future. All project-related materials have been removed online.

Project KV’s initial promotional video, released August 18th, showcased a voiced story prologue. A subsequent teaser, two weeks later, provided a closer look at characters and storyline. However, the project's abrupt cancellation followed a week after the second teaser. While disappointing for Dynamis One, the online reaction to the cancellation has been largely positive.

The "Red Archive" Controversy

Dynamis One, led by former Blue Archive lead Park Byeong-Lim, sparked debate upon its formation in April. The departure of key Blue Archive developers to this new studio raised immediate concerns among fans.

The unveiling of Project KV further ignited the controversy. Fans quickly highlighted numerous similarities between the two games, including aesthetics, music, and the core concept of a Japanese-style city inhabited by weapon-wielding female students. The inclusion of a "Master" character, analogous to Blue Archive's "Sensei," and the use of halo-like adornments further fueled accusations of plagiarism.

The halos, a significant narrative element in Blue Archive, proved particularly contentious. Many felt Project KV was leveraging Blue Archive's success through visual mimicry. The speculation that "KV" might stand for "Kivotos," Blue Archive's fictional city, led to the game being dubbed "Red Archive" online.

While Blue Archive's general producer, Kim Yong-ha, indirectly addressed the controversy via a fan's clarifying post on X, emphasizing the lack of official connection between the projects, the negative feedback proved insurmountable.

The overwhelming negative reaction ultimately led to Project KV's cancellation. While some express disappointment, many view the cancellation as a justified response to the perceived plagiarism. Dynamis One's future direction and whether they will learn from this experience remain to be seen.