Blue Protocol – Bandai Namco certainly know their anime (pic: Amazon)
Amazon and Bandai Namco have teamed up to make a new free-to-play MMO, with the first trailer debuting at The Game Awards 2022.
Although it’s Google’s Stadia that’s been the biggest failure so far, Amazon is another giant company that’s not found it as easy to break into the games industry as they thought.
They haven’t given up though and following rumours of them wanting to buy EA they’ve announced a collaboration with Bandai Namco for yet another new MMO, to follow in the footsteps of Lost Ark and New World.
Why it’s only ever MMOs isn’t clear but new game Blue Protocol was unveiled at The Game Awards and looks pretty great, with a cel-shaded anime style that’s reminiscent of the likes of Genshin Impact and Xenoblade Chronicles.
Blue Protocol will be free-to-play and is due out on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC in the second half of 2023, with a closed beta on PC earlier in the year.
The story and setting seem fairly generic – something about the world about to end and ‘technology overuse’ – but Amazon are promising five classes at launch: Blade Warden, Twin Striker, Keen Strider, Spell Weaver, and Foe Breaker.
They all seem fairly self-explanatory, as does the idea of ‘Echoes’ – which seem to be Final Fantasy style summons that you can call in to help you in battle.
The avatars are fully customisable, including mounts, and, as Amazon and Namco Bandai say, they really do look like an anime come to life.
All of the game’s story can be played alone or with others, with up to six players allowed during normal overworld and dungeon battles – with larger groups promised for raids.
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Amazon and Bandai Namco have teamed up to make a new free-to-play MMO, with the first trailer debuting at The Game Awards 2022.
