New Free-to-Play MMORPG Is Blowing Up on Steam, But There’s a Catch

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Shortly after its launch, *Blue Protocol: Star Resonance* drew over 90,000 players, but it seems many aren’t enjoying the game. This version is essentially a reboot of Bandai Namco’s online action game, *Blue Protocol*, which was discontinued in January 2025.

The original *Blue Protocol* game was discontinued by Bandai Namco because it wasn’t financially successful. Following this, Shanghai Bokura Network Technology, a Chinese developer, announced they were creating a new game inspired by *Blue Protocol*, set in the same world but with a fresh story and characters. This new game reuses many of the original game’s elements and features, leading fans to consider it a continuation or revival of *Blue Protocol*.

Blue Protocol: Star Resonance Had Nearly 95,000 Concurrent Players

The action RPG *Blue Protocol: Star Resonance* became available on PC and mobile devices on October 9th. It quickly attracted around 95,000 players on Steam within its first day, making it a popular game for that time. Despite the large number of players, the game has received mostly negative feedback – about 55% of reviews are negative – resulting in a “Mixed” rating on Steam as of today.

Many players feel the game relies too much on in-app purchases, and progress is slowed down by artificial time limits. They also find the combat too easy. Another issue is that the game doesn’t have servers located around the world, meaning everyone has to connect to servers in North America, which causes lag and connection problems for players in other regions. While *Blue Protocol: Star Resonance* could be a strong competitor to popular anime games like *Genshin Impact*, players are disappointed that its current focus on monetization and slow pace hold it back.

Players who are enjoying *Blue Protocol: Star Resonance* appreciate its anime art style and the many things to do in its expansive world. They argue that features like auto-battle, which some criticize for being too easy, are optional and can be disabled. These players believe the negative reviews on Steam are unfair, pointing out that this is a new, free-to-play game with the ability to improve over time.

It will be interesting to watch whether Shanghai Bokura Network Technology can keep players engaged and improve the reception of *Blue Protocol: Star Resonance* in the next few months. Currently, the game has a ‘Mixed’ rating on Steam, showing a split among players – some love it, while others criticize it as a low-quality “gacha” game.

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2025-10-10 17:48