Project 'X' Scrapped Amidst Similarity Concerns

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 game, initially generating buzz, faced intense backlash due to its striking resemblance to its predecessor, the popular mobile gacha title Blue Archive.

The cancellation, announced on September 9th via X (formerly Twitter), followed an apology from Dynamis One for the controversy. The statement acknowledged concerns over the similarities and pledged to avoid future issues of this nature. All Project KV related materials are being removed from online platforms. The studio expressed regret to supporters and promised to strive for higher standards in future endeavors.

Project KV's initial promotional video (August 18th) and a subsequent character and story teaser (two weeks later) fueled the controversy. The swift cancellation, just a week after the second teaser, surprised many. While Dynamis One likely laments the project's demise, online sentiment largely celebrates the decision.

Striking Resemblance Ignites Controversy: "Red Archive"

Dynamis One's formation in April, led by former Blue Archive lead Park Byeong-Lim and other key developers, initially raised eyebrows among Blue Archive fans. However, Project KV's reveal ignited a firestorm. The game's aesthetic, music, and core concept—a Japanese-style city populated by weapon-wielding female students—drew heavy criticism for its near-identical nature to Blue Archive.

The presence of a "Master" character echoing Blue Archive's "Sensei" and the use of halo-like adornments, mirroring a key visual element in Blue Archive, further fueled accusations of plagiarism.

These halos, far from mere decoration in Blue Archive, carry significant narrative weight. Their inclusion in Project KV prompted accusations of leveraging Blue Archive's success without proper distinction. The speculation that "KV" might stand for "Kivotos" (Blue Archive's fictional city) and the nickname "Red Archive" highlighted the perceived derivative nature of the project.

While Blue Archive's general producer, Kim Yong-ha, indirectly addressed the situation via a fan's clarification post on X, emphasizing Project KV's lack of official connection to Blue Archive, the damage was done.

The overwhelmingly negative reception ultimately led to Project KV's cancellation. While some may mourn the lost potential, many view the cancellation as a fitting consequence of the alleged plagiarism. The future direction of Dynamis One and whether they will learn from this experience remains to be seen.