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 scrapped its upcoming visual novel, Project KV, following intense backlash over its striking resemblance to its predecessor. The game, initially generating considerable buzz, faced mounting criticism for its uncanny similarities to Nexon's popular mobile gacha title.

The cancellation announcement, made via X (formerly Twitter) on September 9th, included an apology from Dynamis One for the controversy and acknowledged fan concerns regarding the perceived plagiarism. The studio committed to avoiding future similar issues and confirmed the removal of all Project KV related materials online. They concluded by expressing their regret to supporters and vowing to improve future projects.

Project KV's initial promotional video, released August 18th, showcased a voiced prologue and introduced the development team. A second teaser, released two weeks later, provided further glimpses into the characters and storyline. However, the project was abruptly canceled a week after the second teaser's debut. While the cancellation may be disheartening for Dynamis One, online sentiment largely celebrates the decision.

The "Red Archive" Controversy

Dynamis One, headed by former Blue Archive lead Park Byeong-Lim, sparked debate upon its formation in April. Park's departure from Nexon, along with other key developers, raised immediate concerns within the Blue Archive community. These concerns intensified with Project KV's reveal, which showcased numerous similarities to Blue Archive, from its art style and music to its core concept: a 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 above characters, directly mirroring Blue Archive's visually significant halos, fueled the controversy. These halos, far from mere decoration in Blue Archive, hold substantial narrative importance, making their inclusion in Project KV a particularly sensitive issue.

The perceived appropriation of Blue Archive's visual identity led to accusations of plagiarism and the widespread labeling of Project KV as a "rip-off." The "KV" moniker was even speculated to be an abbreviation of "Kivotos," Blue Archive's fictional city, leading to the sarcastic nickname "Red Archive."

While Blue Archive's general producer, Kim Yong-ha, indirectly addressed the situation via a retweet clarifying the lack of official connection between the two projects, the overwhelmingly negative response ultimately led to Project KV's demise.

The cancellation, while possibly disappointing to some, is viewed by many as a consequence of the alleged plagiarism. Whether Dynamis One will learn from this experience and present a more original vision in future endeavors remains to be seen.