Former Blue Archive Developers Cancel Project KV Amidst Plagiarism Accusations
Project KV, a visual novel developed by Dynamis One—a studio founded by former Blue Archive developers—has been canceled. The cancellation follows significant backlash over the game's striking similarities to its predecessor, Blue Archive.
Dynamis One's September 9th announcement on Twitter (X) apologized for the controversy surrounding Project KV and acknowledged concerns regarding its resemblance to Blue Archive. The studio stated its commitment to avoiding future similar issues and confirmed the project's termination, promising to remove all related online materials. They expressed regret to fans who supported the project and pledged to improve future endeavors to meet expectations.
The initial Project KV teaser, released August 18th, generated buzz. A second teaser, released two weeks later, provided further details on characters and storyline, only to be followed by the unexpected cancellation a week later. While Dynamis One faces disappointment, online reactions largely celebrated the project's demise.
The "Red Archive" Controversy
Dynamis One, led by former Blue Archive developer Park Byeong-Lim, ignited controversy upon its April launch. The departure of key developers from Nexon to form Dynamis One raised initial concerns within the Blue Archive community. These concerns escalated with the unveiling of Project KV, which exhibited numerous similarities to Blue Archive, from aesthetic design and music to its core concept: a Japanese-style city populated by weapon-wielding female students.
A "Master" character reminiscent of Blue Archive's "Sensei," and the use of halo-like adornments above characters, mirroring Blue Archive's iconic halos, fueled accusations of plagiarism. These halos, significant narrative elements in Blue Archive, were a key point of contention.
The "KV" abbreviation, speculated to stand for "Kivotos" (Blue Archive's fictional city), led to the game being dubbed "Red Archive," reinforcing the perception of it as a derivative work. While Blue Archive's general producer, Kim Yong-ha, indirectly addressed the controversy by sharing a clarifying fan post emphasizing Project KV's lack of official connection to Blue Archive, the negative response proved insurmountable.
Dynamis One's decision to cancel Project KV, without detailed explanation, leaves the future of the studio and its approach to future projects uncertain. While some may lament the lost potential, many view the cancellation as a consequence of the alleged plagiarism.
