Blue Archive has reached its 5th anniversary. Five years is long enough to call a game a veteran title. If I may brag a little, I have logged in every single day without missing once since its Korean service began on November 9, 2021.
My reason for starting wasn't anything special. Back in my lonely loner days—after being discharged from the military and returning to university, spending plenty of time by myself—my commute to school took an hour by intercity bus. Looking for a mobile game to play on the bus, I happened to hear that the Korean server for Blue Archive was releasing, and that was all it took.
What captured my heart first were the music and the characters. The battle BGM 'SAKURA PUNCH', which I heard during a mission right after the tutorial, was fantastic, and the character designs were right up my alley. I fell deeper into the game, and after reading the Eden Treaty storyline, I was completely hooked. The college student who was just looking for something to play on the commute has since entered the workforce and gets battered by everyday life, but I still haven't let go of Blue Archive.
Having completed five full years as a Sensei, I spent both Saturday and Sunday entirely at the 5th Anniversary Festival. I bought merch, stepped on minigame footpads, and waved lightsticks. Here is the story of those two days.
Thought You Were Fast? Sold Out Is Faster
On Saturday, I entered with Group C. As soon as I walked in, I registered for Schale Store purchasing, but before my turn even arrived, sold-out announcements began popping up, meaning I couldn't get all the merchandise I wanted. I really wanted to pick them out in person at the venue, but entering in Group C left me helpless. No mean comments like 'If you wanted to buy early, shouldn't you have gotten Fast Track pass?' please!
Fortunately, there was an announcement that sold-out merchandise would be available later via online mail order. While it was disappointing not being able to take them home directly from the venue, it meant they weren't completely out of reach. With my spirits lifted, I began filling my shopping basket step by step with the items that hadn't sold out yet.
Besides official merch, I checked out the user-made goods at the Kivotos Market created by talented fan artists. It was wonderful seeing familiar students presented in each creator's unique art style and merchandise. Witnessing firsthand how vibrant fan creations still are after five years gave me a warm sense of connection.
An Old, Weary Sensei Having Fun, But It's Tiring
The Goz spot-the-difference game was easy for the first two questions, but the last one was a bit tricky. It wasn't easy right to the end, but what helped me find the correct answer was Goz's distinctive ear shape. After solving all three questions, I claimed two can badges as a reward.
While Goz called for keen eyesight, the Geburah Radiator Booster tested my physical strength. It was an interactive booth where you stepped on footpads to fill a gauge. While I usually command students to fill up the radiator gauge in-game, now it was my turn to move. I filled the gauge all the way to 100%, collected my reward, and completed the activity.
I also solved the Blue Archive Knowledge Exam sheet given upon entry. Some questions were easy, but others were more tricky than expected. Of course, I got a perfect score and received my completion stamp. If you play Blue Archive, getting every question right is only natural, right?
A 5-Year Perfect Attendance Sensei's Teacher's Log Measures 4.3m
The Teacher's Log booth, which printed out player game records, was impressive right from the printing process. When mine first printed out, I was slightly flustered by how long the paper strip was. Seeing all my in-game records continuously roll out on paper made it feel exceptionally long.
When I actually laid it out on the floor and measured it, it was 4.3m long. Even though I thought it was long while printing, seeing the exact number left me feeling a bit dissatisfied. Having logged in every single day, I couldn't help but feel it could have been a little longer.
Then I remembered that I still had unread Bond Stories, Group Stories, and Mini Stories left. I felt regretful that my receipt—which could have reached 5m—stopped at 4.3m simply because I hadn't cleared those stories despite logging in daily for five years. It made me want to catch up on all the stories I had put off as soon as possible.
Kivotos Live: 'They're Planning to Keep This Game Going for a Long Time'
During Sunday's Kivotos Live, Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha and Vice PD Lee Jun-ho went into detail on everything from upcoming events and collaboration announcements to recruitment system overhauls. Hearing the updates live in person was thrilling. In particular, as a player who intends to keep logging in every day, I appreciated how thoroughly they addressed gameplay-impacting mechanics like recruitment.
The announcements of new events and collaborations were equally exciting. Content to enjoy both in-game and out-of-game was being prepared side by side. After two days of browsing merch, exploring booth activities, and listening to upcoming news, I could feel just how much is in store for Blue Archive.
Throughout the presentation, I couldn't help thinking, 'They really plan to run this game for a long time.' The people behind the game I love clearly still have so much they want to achieve with it. Having logged in continuously for five years, hearing those plans directly at the venue felt deeply satisfying. I realized that even after this festival concludes, there is still so much to look forward to in Blue Archive.
Raise Your Lightsticks! And Wave Them to Your Heart's Content!
Excited by the upcoming news, it was finally time to pick up the lightsticks. The music performance was thrilling, and waving lightsticks to the beat was immense fun. I had loved the game's soundtrack right from the beginning, and listening to the music live at the venue—tracks I used to listen to through earphones on the commuter bus—was an incredible experience.
Among them, 'RE Aoharu' and 'Echoes of Longing' stood out the most. 'RE Aoharu' is a track I love so much that I still search up and rewatch the 4th PV to this day. Getting to experience the music from the Final Episode live at the venue was unforgettable.
I also can't forget 'Echoes of Longing', the ending theme for 'Ex. Decagrammaton'. I love both the Korean and Japanese versions of this song. Over the five years of playing the game, my list of favorite tracks has grown one by one.
Stage lights poured down as colorful lightsticks swayed across the audience. I held mine high and waved it side to side in time with the music. Thinking back to when I used to listen alone with earphones, being surrounded by people who share the same love for this game and waving lightsticks together felt overwhelming and amazing.
The performance segment with falling confetti was especially gorgeous, even when rewatching photos and videos I captured. Stage lights, blue lightsticks, and cascading confetti were all captured in a single frame. Waving my lightstick at the venue was exhilarating, but bringing back memories I can look back on like this was equally wonderful.
That's Why I'm Glad I Played Blue Archive!
Five years of logging in without missing a day transformed into a 4.3m long receipt and an armful of merchandise. A game I casually started while wearing earphones alone has now become an indispensable part of my life.
Just like the subtitle of Part 1's Final Episode, 'Where All Miracles Begin', my miracle began on a one-hour commuter bus bound for university. I never expected that a mobile game I downloaded on a whim back then would become something so precious that I'd happily dedicate an entire weekend to it five years later.
In the Decagrammaton chapter, Sensei tells Ain, Soph, and Aur, "You worked so hard, you really gave it your all." I want to pass those exact words along to Blue Archive, which has powered through these five years. I hope it continues to succeed going forward. My daily check-ins won't stop either. Here's hoping my receipt at the next festival will be just a little bit longer.
