In collaboration with Maxroll · IGN Staff
On May 15, 2025, fans got the surprise they had been waiting for: Blue Protocol: Star Resonance, the long-anticipated anime-style MMORPG developed by Shanghai Bokura Network Technology, will officially launch in the West via A Plus before the end of the year. This announcement came right after the closed beta in China, and excitement has continued to grow ever since.
To maintain that momentum —and true to its community-driven development ethos— Bokura offered a unique opportunity to the largest English-speaking fan hub: Star Resonance Database. Through a curated selection of questions gathered on Discord, players had the chance to interact directly with the team. Roy, Bokura’s founder and veteran producer behind MMO titles like Dragon Nest Mobile and Ragnarok Origin: Love at First Sight, answered the community’s hottest questions without holding back.
Question 1: Nowadays MMOs try to cater to every type of player (PvE, PvP, roleplayers, casuals, hardcore, etc.), but this often leads to a lack of focus and content that never reaches its full potential. Who is Star Resonance primarily targeting, and which content areas will you focus on the most?
Answer: Many members of our team, including myself, are anime enthusiasts. Combined with my years of experience as an MMO producer, I have always dreamed of creating a title that blends a distinct anime aesthetic with deep MMO mechanics. We know this is an ambitious vision; games that truly satisfy both anime fans and traditional MMO players are rare. That’s why our target audience is exactly those players who, like us, seek deep MMO experiences set in vibrant anime-style worlds.
Gameplay will center on a hybrid PvE combat and casual play model. However, as we gather player feedback and continue updating the game, we may expand into other areas in the future.
Question 2: Monetization is a major concern for Western players compared to the Eastern player base. During the Chinese beta, a premium-to-in-game currency conversion system without daily or weekly limits was noted, similar to many MMOs recently criticized in the West. Do you plan to adjust this for the Western audience? What is your current approach?
Answer: As mentioned, our game is based on a hybrid PvE and casual play model, so we absolutely do not want a pay-to-win environment. We offer convenience options—such as currency conversion—but none grant exclusive advantages. All progression items can be earned through gameplay, and the Trading Center ensures that even paid boosts indirectly benefit the community by circulating resources.
These systems are designed to help players with limited time or those who join later to catch up, not to create imbalance. We believe this approach will foster a fair ecosystem and a healthy in-game economy. Of course, some players may choose to support the development team through optional purchases, allowing us to keep producing high-quality content for everyone.
Question 3: Content is another critical factor in MMOs. What kind of vertical progression can casual and hardcore players currently expect in Blue Protocol: Star Resonance?
Answer: Combat and progression are the heart of the MMO experience, so we’ve designed these systems for all player types. After extensive iteration, we’ve created a battle system that’s easy for newcomers to pick up but deep enough to challenge veterans.
For hardcore players, we’ve built a robust PvE ecosystem: class customization, dungeons, and open-world encounters. As players grow stronger, they can test their skills in high-stakes content, including five-player dungeons and 20-player raids, earning exciting rewards. Each season will introduce new classes, dungeons, and PvE modes to keep the experience fresh.
For casual players, we’re crafting a relaxed social playground with features like housing, life skills, fishing, and seasonal social events. Over time, we’ll add more social mini-games, aiming to create a world that feels like a shared amusement park for everyone.
Our goal is to provide a playground where every player, competitive or casual, can find their own adventure.
Question 4: Many MMOs tend to introduce more and more systems over time. This raises the barrier to entry and overwhelms the active player base. To avoid this, it’s simpler to expand existing systems (e.g., adding skills or talent trees) rather than adding new mechanics. What is your design philosophy for future development?
Answer: We’re intentional about keeping progression systems streamlined. Our philosophy is clear: whether you’re a new player or a veteran returning after a break, we want you to jump back in effortlessly, without learning a bunch of new mechanics. That’s why we focus on expanding existing systems—adding depth, new goals, and fresh twists—instead of piling on entirely new mechanics. This keeps the experience fresh but familiar, ensuring meaningful growth without overwhelming players.
Question 5: Mandatory progression content in MMOs can be too grindy, difficult, or time-consuming for most players. Easing core content difficulty, adding social-focused post-progression activities, and offering optional challenges seem effective. What is your stance, and how do you plan to address it?
Answer: Making core progression both enjoyable and accessible is a top priority. We’re adopting a seasonal approach: not only introducing new content but also revitalizing existing activities with themed updates, so even veterans feel renewed excitement. We’re also deeply committed to enhancing social experiences, as player interaction is the heart of the game. To foster this, we’re building a diverse ecosystem that caters to different playstyles—whether PvE, casual play, or relaxed social activities. For example, we’ve invested significant effort in the housing system. Although it wasn’t available in the test server, we’ll expand it through seasonal updates to enrich its depth, variety, and appeal, strengthening bonds between players. By consistently refining and expanding content this way, we aim to create a vibrant, inclusive world where everyone finds their place.
Question 6: The community loves dynamic or timed events that appear spontaneously in other MMOs and bring players together. Are there plans for such content?
Answer: As MMO players ourselves, we absolutely love dynamic events like these. They encourage exploration and spontaneous interaction. However, with our current resources, we’re prioritizing refining the core experience. That said, we’re actively evaluating the potential for unscheduled world events and similar content in future updates. Stay tuned!
Question 7: Undoubtedly, many anime enthusiasts will play the game. Can we expect collaborations with anime franchises in the future?
Answer: Absolutely! As an anime-inspired MMO, we naturally align with anime and manga IPs. We’ll soon launch surveys to gather your preferences because we want these collaborations to reflect what you truly love. Get your suggestions ready!
Question 8: Currently, direct player-to-player trading and auction house exchanges are not possible. The shared warehouse allows limited trades with friends for life-skill materials but only supports a small capacity. Do you plan to increase this limit?
Answer: At this stage, we’re not planning to lift these restrictions. Past experience showed that allowing ability-enhancing items in shared storage led to excessive alt creation. We’ve limited such items while still encouraging cooperation without forcing players to grind alts.
Question 9: The life-skill system favors players who create and play alternate characters, as energy is character-specific. Most casual players don’t have time for this. How do you plan to address these imbalances?
Answer: We do not encourage multi-character gameplay—our shared storage system is designed to promote cooperation without alt grind. We’ve reworked the life-skill system to optimize the experience for both casual players and dedicated life-skill enthusiasts:
- Energy now affects trading only.
- Gathering and crafting are free, with no energy cost.
- Added more recipes so dedicated life-skill players won’t hit progression walls.
Question 10: The auto-combo system lets players stand in place and attack nearby monsters in random order. It doesn’t include auto-pathing or full auto-combat, but Western audiences worry it could trivialize combat and encourage AFK farming. Do you plan to adjust this feature?
Answer: Our vision is to offer convenience features like auto-combat and auto-pathing only for low-difficulty grind, without compromising core gameplay. We also strictly control grind rewards to minimize the impact of AFK farming.
Question 11: For Western servers, will they be region-separated or will there be a single mega-server where everyone plays together?
Answer: We’ve heard feedback that players want to play together. While physical distance presents technical challenges, we’re actively working on a mega-server solution and aim to deliver satisfying results.
Question 12: Which languages will be supported at launch, and will you add more later?
Answer: At launch, we’ll support English with Japanese voiceover. We’re currently conducting localization QA to ensure Western players get the best first impression. Additional languages may be added based on player feedback—your suggestions are welcome!
Question 13: Will a housing system be available at launch? If so, what features can players expect?
Answer: Great news for decoration fans: the housing system will be available from day one! Each player can claim an island and a house at no extra cost, inviting up to four friends to cohabitate. You’ll have high customization freedom—partition walls, furniture placement, and more. It also includes farming features where you can sell crops to merchants for housing currency to exchange for furniture and items. Some furniture can also be crafted via life skills.
Question 14: The site already shows a silhouette of a guitar-wielding class. Do you plan to add more classes post-launch, and at what intervals?
Answer: Correct! The Guitarist class will be available at launch, offering two playstyles: one focused on solo DPS and another on support with healing and buffs. We plan to add new classes periodically post-launch—stay tuned for updates.
Question 15: You recently announced controller support. Does this mean you’re considering consoles or Steam Deck in the future?
Answer: We’ve implemented controller support for mainstream models and plan to expand compatibility. Although nothing is confirmed yet for consoles or Steam Deck, we’re open to all possibilities.
Question 16: Based on the Chinese beta, character customization options and costume variety were limited. Can Western players expect more options at launch? What can they look forward to?
Answer: We’ll continuously add new outfits and cosmetics, including mix-and-match pieces so you can express yourself as you wish. While core customization categories will remain, we’ll introduce more options: eye shapes, hairstyles, accessories, and more.
Question 17: Will there be a character creator available before launch so players can take their time creating an avatar in advance?
Answer: We agree that’s a great idea. We’ve already developed a client-side character creation system that, after necessary testing, may be available at launch.
Question 18: The community is eager to test the game in the West as soon as possible. Can you share any hints or teasers about upcoming tests or the release date?
Answer: We’re preparing the global beta now. After seeing CN players enjoy two test phases, we know fans worldwide are excited. I can’t share exact dates yet, but the wait won’t be much longer.
Question 19: Can we expect more opportunities like this Q&A before and after launch, as well as developer live streams in English or with subtitles?
Answer: Yes. We’ve scheduled developer talks for English-speaking fans and are considering other programs like live streams with subtitles. Stay connected for more updates!
With these answers, Roy and the Bokura team demonstrate their commitment to the community, balancing ambition with care for every player’s experience. The journey toward Blue Protocol: Star Resonance has only just begun!
