Blue Archive marked its 4.5th anniversary this past May. Despite facing several ups and downs in its early days, the game’s bright, refreshing art, diverse cast of charming students, and stories of youth have found a place in the hearts of subculture fans. As a result, it has established itself as an essential pillar of the subculture gaming scene, not only in Korea but also in Japan, the birthplace of the genre. Beyond the game itself, it has reached out to players in every direction through countless fan creations, collaborations with various food and beverage brands, blood donation campaigns, and even running events.

With the addition of Steam Deck and controller support, the game continues to take steps forward internally as well. To discuss the future of Blue Archive on the occasion of its 4.5th anniversary, we met with Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha and Associate Producer Lee Jun-ho.

A Turning Point to Expand the IP Without Losing Sight of Our Roots: Blue Archive's 4.5th Anniversary

The KR server reached its 4.5th anniversary this past May. How do you feel.

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = These days, it's difficult for games to even survive for a year, and this is the first time I've personally serviced a game for this long. I am grateful to the 'Senseis' who have loved us for so long, and I will continue to provide consistent updates without losing our original intent. I am constantly thinking about how to show new sides of the game rather than settling for where we are now, and I will keep moving forward to provide an even better experience.

Associate Producer Lee Jun-ho = I think 4.5 years is a very long time. At this point, I believe we need to focus heavily on expanding the IP. To do that, the 'home base'—Blue Archive itself—must be well-maintained. We will continue to solidify that foundation so that players can always jump in and enjoy the game, while also showing our commitment to expanding the IP.

The 'Kivotos Run' seems to have a different vibe from previous subculture events. You've also been holding unique user-participation events like blood donation drives. What was the motivation behind this direction? Are there any new events you'd like to challenge yourselves with?

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = In the early days of Blue Archive, offline events for subculture games in Korea were practically a wasteland. Compared to Japan, Taiwan, and other countries, it was quite limited, and it wasn't well-received due to social perceptions of the genre as 'niche.' While globally recognized IPs like Marvel or Pokémon could get local governments to collaborate with them, subculture games weren't in a position to do so even if we wanted to. There were invisible, solid barriers.

In that environment, we tried to pioneer new ground, from food brands to department stores. Since then, other games have gradually started pursuing offline events they hadn't done before, and I take pride in the fact that we played a role in that.

The idea for the Kivotos Run came last spring. I kept getting stuck in traffic on weekends and wondered why there were so many marathons. It turned out there were quite a lot. I was inspired by seeing them hosted by various organizations, including local governments and broadcasting stations.

Since Marvel had already done such an event in 2024, I thought, 'Why couldn't we do it too?' So I looked into it last spring. Fortunately, the Nexon business team has a lot of experience breaking new ground, so they actively looked into it. It took a long time, but after many twists and turns, we made it happen. Since there were no prior cases, and especially because a run requires coordination with local regions, there were many hurdles to clear. Still, we managed to make it happen this year

We've done many food collaborations, and players often joke that they're all gaining weight. So, we had the intention of doing an event that promotes health rather than weight gain. Since Blue Archive has a 'youthful' and 'healthy' image, it's a fitting event. Especially since we have sports festival events like the 'Halo Games' in-game, it fits the concept well and has multiple layers of meaning.

People who enjoy subculture are often said to be extremely introverted, but there is a user base that actively participates in external events. So, I thought there would be a positive response, and I also thought it would be positive in terms of raising awareness.

Are the developers, including the Executive Producer, planning to run? Also, do both of you enjoy running in your daily lives.

Associate Producer Lee Jun-ho = I plan to run on-site that day.

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = There are quite a few people among the developers who enjoy running or cycling, but due to venue space limitations and safety concerns, we plan to have as many people participate as possible without taking spots away from players. I don't usually run, and this is my first time doing a running event, so I plan to practice a bit before participating.

There have been many changes in the gaming industry over the past four and a half years. What do you consider the most tangible change, and what is the core of Blue Archive that remains unchanged?

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = I think subculture has been recognized as a cultural genre. When Blue Archive was first released, games in this genre were released sporadically, but they didn't seem to function as a pillar of the market. Then, with the release of Blue Archive, Nikke, various other domestic subculture games, and open-world games from China, I think it has risen to become one of the major genres.

I especially feel that the perception is changing as a culture enjoyed by young people. As someone who has always loved this field, I feel proud that we are among those leading one of its pillars.

As for the unchanging core of Blue Archive, it is our effort to protect the unique 'color' of the game. Preserving our originality—the 'bright and healthy worldview' and the 'image of the students'—is the core.

Of course, Blue Archive has very active fan creations, and players interpret the characters in many different ways. However, we intend to firmly maintain the skeleton of our originality and keep our core concepts consistent. Based on this, our core goal is to continue unfolding new stories and expanding even further.

You mentioned changes in the gaming industry since the launch of Blue Archive. I think one of the biggest changes is AI. What is your perspective on this?

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = I believe the path Blue Archive is taking is at the opposite end of the spectrum from AI.

On a personal note, I majored in AI during my school days. So, I see it as very supportive in development, especially in programming. I want to reiterate that this is a strictly personal view, but I do see it as valid for developmental assistance, such as coding or process automation, and we are internally studying and researching the latest AI technologies.

However, in terms of the actual resources that go into the game, there are far more losses than gains for Blue Archive, and the direction is misaligned. The images, character designs, illustrations, and art within Blue Archive are centered on the sensibility of being crafted with craftsmanship, stitch by stitch. It is our internal guideline and philosophy that the touch of the creator must be felt. At this stage, we are thinking about how to best preserve this and how to maximize quality in the human domain that AI cannot touch.

"Capturing Both Interaction with Students and Content Substance"

You mentioned that a solid home base is necessary for a game to have a long run. While fan creation engagement is very high, it's rare for things other than Raids to become major issues in terms of gameplay. What is your vision for strengthening gameplay?

Associate Producer Lee Jun-ho = Looking into the distant future, I think we need to increase emotional content. Blue Archive is a story about students and Sensei, a story of youth. While it's difficult to go into detail right now, we intend to add various emotional content that expands on that interaction.

We are also discussing the shortcomings of combat internally and are preparing new content. We are focusing more on showing different sides of the characters rather than competition.

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = One of the directions often mentioned for advancing in-game play is to churn out PVP or end-game content that measures performance. This is a path that has already been heavily researched in the industry, isn't it? However, I don't think that fits the concept of Blue Archive to focus on excessive competition or performance.

In a way, it's our dilemma that we shouldn't drive too hard in that direction, but we are constantly discussing internally how to provide expandable and attractive content in ways other than competition. It requires a lot of effort, so it's taking time.

Is that why the cycle of new Raids seems to have accelerated? Should we see this as part of that?

Associate Producer Lee Jun-ho = This is also intertwined with the development of the 'Decagrammaton' arc. To advance the story, the bosses of that lineage had to appear quickly. Therefore, we strategically arranged it to show the narrative of the Decagrammaton arc all at once at the 5th anniversary for the JP server and the 4.5th anniversary for the KR server.

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = Raids are the representative end-game content of Blue Archive, aren't they? We felt that new rotations needed to be added to create diverse opportunities for each student to shine. However, I don't think we will add them faster than now; this is likely the fastest tempo. Beyond that, we are also thinking about pioneering other ways to enjoy the game.

Since it was mobile-based, it was hard to predict, but I was surprised to hear that you would support Steam Deck and controllers. What was the motivation behind this decision, and what were the difficulties during development? Also, now that controller support is possible, are you considering console platforms?

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = Since the UI wasn't designed with controllers in mind from the start, I had many concerns about how to implement it. Since it's based on a mobile touch interface, I wondered how to map it to make it 100% comfortable. As a result of that deliberation, most of it has been tuned so that it can be operated without stress. Vibration was something we hadn't considered at first, but I'm glad and satisfied that we were able to add it this time.

Games released these days support PC and controllers, don't they? I thought that even though Blue Archive is 4 or five years old, we should keep up with the latest trends. Consoles are a completely different market, so it's hard to say we'll do it right away. First, we will strive to make it more comfortable to enjoy in PC environments beyond mobile.

In past interviews, you always said you had about a year's worth of content left when asked about it. How is it at this point?

Associate Producer Lee Jun-ho = We are preparing emotional content that interacts with students, but there is a lot to prepare for it to be completed. We are also developing combat content in parallel, so we are building the roadmap while considering the timing of when it will be completed and implemented.

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = We still have more than a year's worth of content piled up. That's because there's so much we really want to do. Because there's so much, when we strategically think about what to prioritize, it actually takes time due to various issues, even if we want to do it faster. As we do that, we set work priorities, like 'this can be done next year' or 'this can't be done next year.

Even if we can't plan exactly which month of which year it will be implemented, just outlining the framework has allowed us to establish a long-term plan for several years. We are preparing a vast amount of content, including story and character appearance plans, step-by-step and long-term, and we intend to implement and show that large volume at the right time.

Erika, who has been around since the CBT, has finally been released early on the JP server. There is even talk among users that she was "hated internally." Is there a special reason why she is appearing now?

Associate Producer Lee Jun-ho = It's definitely not that we didn't want to release her. We always wanted to, but we couldn't find the right timing. We just found the timing now.

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = It might be a spoiler for the KR server, but Erika is indeed a student who was revealed in the very first PV. However, we had many concerns about when and how to release her, considering the story and other aspects. As that continued, she ended up being pushed back this much. We don't hate any specific student or have any intention of not taking care of them. It's just that the timing was delayed for various reasons, and I only feel sorry for Erika. Still, I'm glad we were able to reveal her this time and include her without passing the point of Part 2.

"Preparing for Part 2 to Present New Stories, Ultimately Aiming for Synchronization of Future Sight"

After the final chapter of Part 1 ended, people usually thought of the next main story as Part 2, but users seem confused because you called the recently added main story on the JP server the 'introduction to Part 2.

Associate Producer Lee Jun-ho = The story updated after the final chapter of Part 1 is an epilogue and after-story to Part 1, and you can consider some of the stories as foreshadowing for Part 2.

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = Besides this, there is the Decagrammaton story that is flowing on a different trajectory. We originally thought of it as an event story, but as we incorporated it into the main story, we had to prepare a proper conclusion. So, since it's the point where we can start Part 2 in earnest after finishing this, that's why I called it the introduction to Part 2.

Looking at the main story interface, it's quite confusing. Do you have any plans to improve this? Also, now that you are starting Part 2, what kind of story do you want to tell?

Associate Producer Lee Jun-ho = Since Part 2 hasn't been revealed in Korea yet, I can't say much as it could be a spoiler. We plan to reveal this later through live broadcasts or developer commentaries.

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = Since we can't tell the same story as Part 1, we are thinking of showing a different side of Kivotos. We are focusing on telling the stories and activities of new academies and new students.

There are cases where users feel disappointed because they get spoiled by seeing news from the JP server, which is ahead, or because they can't enjoy it at the same time. I'd like to ask if you plan to shorten the 'future sight' or keep it as is.

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = We've currently reduced it to about 3 months, but there is still a gap of several months. Honestly, the process of reducing this is physically difficult. It's because the process is set up to prepare the preceding build first and then refine it to release it as another build. To integrate the builds, there are many things to consider, not to mention tearing down various things internally, and the fact that the publishers are also separate.

Of course, I have a desire to synchronize them. If conditions allow, we intend to shorten the gap, and ultimately, we have a very long-term goal of unification. However, as mentioned earlier, there are many mountains to climb, so it's hard to say what we will do in the short term. But we do have the hope of shortening it as much as possible so that it can be enjoyed at the same time.

It is true that the current situation where you have to pretend you don't know even though you do is very awkward. In fact, some contests and fan events have requested that people refrain from using this 'future sight.' In the case of the Kivotos Run, there isn't a 'no spoilers' item attached, but anyway, since various situations are intertwined, it's difficult to do it immediately in the short term, but we are thinking about it from a very long-term perspective.

After the Eden Treaty dubbing, the Decagrammaton arc dubbing was confirmed. What are the criteria for selecting the order of main story dubbing, and how do you set the schedule? Also, do you have any plans to shorten the period for this?

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = Dubbing requires a lot of effort and there is so much to prepare. So, it's really regrettable that we can't add it immediately as users want. On the other hand, since we are doing such high-difficulty measures independently in Korea, I hope you understand the delay to some extent.

The reason we added the Decagrammaton arc dubbing this time was because it coincided with the time the story concludes. We hoped that by adding character voices, even those who hadn't played this part would be immersed in it.

Associate Producer Lee Jun-ho = To release dubbing in line with the speed of the main story, the main story scenario must be finalized much earlier than the recording schedule. Therefore, this is not something that can be done in the short term, and we have to work while looking much further into the future than we do now.

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = However, it is our hope that it will ultimately become that way. First, we intend to complete the dubbing of the existing main stories that have accumulated so far.

Decagrammaton was an event, but at some point, it was incorporated into the main story. Was that intended from the beginning, or did it become that way as it grew?

Associate Producer Lee Jun-ho = The Decagrammaton arc wasn't originally intended to be grown into a main story. We thought about finishing it after releasing it once, but it was a part that touched the foundation of the worldview. Since it turned out this way, we thought we should incorporate it into the main story and make sure to finish it properly. To reach that conclusion, all the Decagrammaton bosses that had appeared so far had to appear, and we added the Raid bosses accordingly. I think this will be a major case that combines world-raid preparation for story development and content.

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = We prepared it as a story element to attach to a specific mode in the game, but as we explained that story element, the story unfolded according to the basic concept in the game. To properly develop and finish it, more volume and content were needed. Thinking that if we were going to do it, we should do it properly, we finished the story in time for the 4.5th anniversary.

"Blue Archive, a Bright and Healthy World You Can Always Be With and Return To"

You are a pioneer and one of the leading players in offline events and collaboration events for subculture games. What do you think has become easier compared to the past?

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = It's easier now than it used to be. It's not that there were no collaborations with food brands back in the day, but there were many cases where companies sent love calls to internationally famous IPs. Unlike this, we had to contact and propose directly, and we lacked the grounds to persuade them at the time. In that situation, the urgent priority was to find someone who understood us and start.

We started like that, and we had results, such as breaking the all-time sales records of chain stores or achieving results comparable to famous IP collaborations. And that became evidence, making it easier to pioneer other areas little by little. The guards were really tight before, but we've gradually unlocked those barriers.

Now, we are expanding into food, coffee, and even clothing, which had little contact with subculture. In the case of Musinsa, we were able to continue this time because it went well last time. Blood donation is also something that is approached very conservatively due to the nature of the campaign, but because the previous collaboration campaign had good results and we had a precedent of supporting volunteer work, we were able to proceed again this time instead of just once.

Seeing this lead to a chain reaction and other latecomers being able to do various collaborations makes me feel rewarded. At the same time, I thought I should discover something even newer, so we even did the Kivotos Run. I think a healthy breeze might blow through subculture games (laughs).

Regarding blood donation, since there was no precedent, we set the quantity of goods very conservatively. That was really regrettable. This time, because of the previous results, we set the volume a bit more generously, but so many people came. So, as a result, it was lacking again, and we will prepare better next time.

You are operating a permanent offline cafe in Yongsan. Wasn't that a big challenge too? It's been about a year now, how are the results?

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = There were cases of operating one-time pop-ups or smaller game-themed cafes before. Continuing this consistently and consecutively was a completely different problem. This is because we have to think about how to prepare content worth revisiting, how to continuously stimulate interest, and how to secure profitability.

Even if it's sold out for a month or two, it was important to create continuous indicators after that. I was worried about whether that would actually work, but I bet on the various elements of Blue Archive that have been accumulated so far and the love of the Senseis. Fortunately, the sell-out streak has continued so far, and the results are good. Recently, we also introduced the CatchTable reservation system, further improving accessibility.

Actually, the reason why permanent pop-ups weren't attempted often was because there was a limitation that it was still unstable as a profit business. How is this part?

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = Actually, we couldn't guarantee sustainability. If it's a one-time thing, you can just execute it at the marketing level, but this has to look at profitability as well. It's not that we have to earn a lot, but to maintain it, that profit has to be there to run it properly. You can't pour marketing costs like that every time, can you? And the people who actually operate it also get more motivated when profitability is proven. Once it's a business, you have to earn money to get excited.

Not only us, but the external companies we collaborate with must also have that motivation for quality to rise, and that creates a virtuous cycle. If you drive unilaterally only in marketing, you only get that much output. Only when everyone participating is motivated can you get more than that. In the beginning, we didn't actually make that much profit, but it's gradually coming out satisfactorily.

Speaking of events other than permanent ones, in the first 1 or two years, it was difficult to plan while considering the balance of profitability. Then, as the framework was gradually established and profits started to be made, it became a composition that users could also be satisfied with. As a result, a virtuous cycle of continuous measures and high-quality events has been maintained.

Soon, Korea will have its 5th anniversary, and shortly after that, it will be Japan's 5.5th anniversary. Is there anything to look forward to around that time?

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = Honestly, what is updated in Japan is a spoiler in Korea, so wouldn't saying what hasn't been announced in Japan yet be too big of a spoiler? Of course, we are preparing quite a lot, and there are many things.

Associate Producer Lee Jun-ho = I can't tell you in detail, but there might be new content.

Even though Blue Archive is nearly five years old, the feeling that each character's weight or specific characters are alienated is relatively low. However, as new characters keep coming out, I think the concern between the weight of existing characters and new characters will continue to deepen.

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = Actually, the number of characters we can show within one story is limited. It's difficult to show dozens of people at once in an event due to the amount of text and various other reasons. However, the pool of students is constantly increasing. In other words, the cycle in which one character gets attention is relatively narrowing, which is also a concern.

Even if we want to increase the number of events, there is a physical limit. So, we are thinking about expanding the scope of showing the IP in directions outside the game. We are planning measures to cover alienated characters through media franchises or other channels, and to support this, we are constantly hiring scenario writers and preparing various other measures.

Recently, you are preparing for new and returning users by renewing recruitment support packages and shops exclusively for returning Senseis. What is the charm of 'Blue Archive' that you introduce to such users?

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = I would say that the charm of the worldview or characters is definitely a differentiator. You've probably seen the images or memes of the characters a lot through the community, but I hope you check for yourself in what kind of story those characters actually shine.

Actually, we are always thinking about how new or returning Senseis can settle in well without resistance at every anniversary update. We are paying a lot of attention to that part so that you can easily enjoy only the parts you want, and we have prepared many benefits for the 4.5th anniversary, so I hope you come and play.

Associate Producer Lee Jun-ho = There are tastes you don't know unless you taste them yourself, so I want to tell you to come and enjoy it.

Since media franchises were mentioned, animation cannot be left out. I'd like to ask if there are any additional plans or long-term discussions going on about this.

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = I really want to do it. I've always wanted to, and it's a field I want to do more. But it's really difficult to cover it by ourselves. Animation production requires as many people as game production, and cooperation with affiliates is essential. It's a very difficult situation to make it by just saying unilaterally that we want to do it. It can only proceed if there is an agreement including the publisher, animation production company, and distributor. Coordinating those interests also requires a lot of effort.

So, it's difficult to show something quickly, but we are continuing discussions to prepare and coordination with affiliates. However, since a lot of preparation is needed in advance for the project to actually run, it's difficult to say when and what we can show, but I will say that we are continuing to make the efforts we can.

It's already been two years since the A Certain Scientific Railgun collaboration. Are there any other collaboration plans?

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = Although I can't say specifically yet, I think it's time to do it once. It might not be easy this year, but shouldn't there be one next year or the year after? We are discussing various things.

If you were to pick a collaboration the developers want to do?

Associate Producer Lee Jun-ho = Unofficially, there are so many that it's difficult to list them all (laughs). Surprisingly, things like 'wouldn't this be okay?' also come up.

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = So, we are regularly collecting the opinions of all developers on what they want to do and contacting them. As mentioned earlier, I think the timing to do it is approaching, so we are discussing it more actively.

Requests for a rerun of the Hatsune Miku collaboration from the early days are also coming up often. I'm curious if you are considering this.

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = I've heard once or twice that there is such a need, but if there are many, shouldn't we take care of it? Even if it's a rerun, it costs as much as a new collaboration because we have to discuss various things anew. However, since Miku is also our student, we intend to take care of her.

Associate Producer Lee Jun-ho = Of course, as mentioned earlier, since it costs as much as a new collaboration, including budget, it's difficult to say right away.

Lastly, please say a word to the users.

Executive Producer Kim Yong-ha = Time seems to have passed really quickly. Over the past 4 and a half years, we've tried various things, and fortunately, so many people liked and responded to them, so I think we were able to go this far. You might have left for a while while playing, but we are preparing so that you can enjoy it anew whenever you return and build relationships with new students. I hope that Senseis who have been resting for a long time will come back this time and have a fun experience.

Associate Producer Lee Jun-ho = Thank you for enjoying it for a long time, and I will polish it so that it becomes a Kivotos where those who have left for a while can return happily at any time. I hope you come back, and I am really grateful to the Senseis who are working hard. Please continue to support us in the future.