(Photo : Bandai Namco / Screenshot taken from official website)
Bandai Namco Entertainment is set to fully absorb Bandai Namco Online following the latter's series of live service failures.
The absorption-type merger is set to happen on Apr. 1, 2025, and comes after the online arm was established in 2009 as a spin-off of Bandai Namco Entertainment. Since it was created, it has been responsible for releasing titles that include Gundam Evolution and Blue Protocol.
Bandai Namco Online
The former has since been shut down and the latter is scheduled to be taken offline on Jan. 18, 2025. The online arm was also responsible for many other titles, such as Idolish Seven, SD Gundam Operations, and Gundam Tribe.
Following the absorption-type merger, Bandai Namco Entertainment will be taking full control of the existing titles in place of Bandai Namco Online, according to Gematsu.
The key factor in the development is Blue Protocol, which is a multiplayer RPG featuring anime-like visuals. It was supposed to be Bandai Namco Online's major title for the live-service environment.
However, the game struggled to get any kind of traction in Japan despite launching in December 2023. The company announced a few months ago that it has decided on shutting Blue Protocol down because it failed to find a proper audience.
Read Also: Bandai Namco Online Facing Insolvency Following Blue Protocol's Release
Another thing that fans of the game were disappointed by was that Blue Protocol was planned for a Western release. However, this was outright canceled because of the situation that the game was in at the time, Push Square said.
This is not the first time that Bandai Namco has struggled on the online games front. It launched Tekken 8 and Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream this year. Both of these titles heavily emphasize their online components.
Live-Service Failures
However, the expectations surrounding them are vastly different from the latter two because they fulfill a different role in the company's catalog. The last two years in particular have been extremely difficult for Bandai Namco Online.
The recent announcement added that the main purpose of the absorption-type merger was for Bandai Namco Entertainment to "respond to the recent changes in the game business environment."
The decision was also allegedly made because the company wanted to strengthen its overall structure in the digital business sector. On top of the titles that are being run by the online arm transferring over to the main company, all customer contracts will be given as well, according to Automaton Media.
The shutdown of Blue Protocol particularly disappointed fans in the West who were looking forward to trying out the game.
Related Article: Blue Protocol Will Shut Down in Japan, Cancels Worldwide Release