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 highly anticipated visual novel, Project KV. The swift cancellation follows a wave of criticism over the game's striking resemblance to its predecessor.
Dynamis One's September 9th announcement on Twitter (X) apologized for the controversy sparked by Project KV's similarities to Blue Archive, the mobile gacha game the team previously worked on at Nexon Games. The studio stated its commitment to avoiding future conflicts and confirmed the removal of all Project KV materials online. While expressing regret to fans, they pledged to improve and better meet expectations in future endeavors.
Project KV initially generated buzz with its August 18th teaser, showcasing a fully voiced prologue. A second teaser, released two weeks later, provided further glimpses into the game's characters and narrative. However, the project's abrupt cancellation just a week after the second teaser's release surprised many. While the developers likely faced disappointment, the online reaction largely celebrated the decision.
The "Red Archive" Controversy
Dynamis One, headed by former Blue Archive lead Park Byeong-Lim, ignited debate upon its establishment in April. The departure of key developers from Nexon raised immediate questions within the Blue Archive community. These concerns intensified with Project KV's reveal, as fans quickly noted similarities in aesthetics, music, and core concepts—a Japanese-style city populated by weapon-wielding female students.
The presence of a "Master" character, echoing Blue Archive's "Sensei," and the use of halo-like adornments, mirroring those in Blue Archive, further fueled the controversy. These halos, significant narrative symbols in Blue Archive, became a central point of contention, with many accusing Project KV of attempting to leverage Blue Archive's success through visual mimicry. Speculation even arose that "KV" stood for "Kivotos," Blue Archive's fictional city, leading to the "Red Archive" moniker.
Although Blue Archive's general producer, Kim Yong-ha, indirectly addressed the controversy via a fan account's clarification on Twitter (X) emphasizing Project KV's lack of official connection to Blue Archive, the overwhelmingly negative reaction ultimately led to the project's cancellation. While some may lament the lost potential, many view the cancellation as a deserved consequence of the perceived plagiarism. The future direction of Dynamis One and its commitment to original projects remains to be seen.
