After more than five years together, Yostar and Blue Archive are going their separate ways in Japan. NEXON has confirmed that it is taking over as the Japanese publisher of the school RPG, with the switch planned for January 2027.
The news was first shared during a Blue Archive livestream over the weekend, before both companies posted official notices on the game's Japanese X account.
In the post, Yostar thanks players for their support and confirms that operation of the game in the Japanese region is moving from Yostar to NEXON.
Why NEXON Is Taking Blue Archive Back
Blue Archive has always been developed by the Korean studio NEXON Games, while Yostar has handled publishing in Japan since the game launched there in early 2021. NEXON already publishes the game in Korea and globally, so Japan was the odd one out.
In its press release, NEXON says the change is meant to deepen cooperation within the group and build a system where development, live operations and the wider IP are all handled in one place. During the livestream, it was explained that NEXON Games had asked to end the publishing contract, and the two sides agreed to the change after a series of discussions.
It is a big shift for a game that has become one of the most recognizable gacha titles in Japan, with an anime adaptation, a huge fan art community and regular live events. It also continues a pattern for Yostar, which has handed off the publishing of other games in the past while keeping its own hits like Azur Lane and Arknights.
What Happens To Your Account
The most important news for Sensei is that nothing should be lost. NEXON says the change will not affect player game data. Once a transfer procedure is announced, players will be able to bring over all of their account data, including their progress, in-game items and Pyroxenes.
Here is the current schedule NEXON shared:
- October 25: Publisher change announced and an FAQ page opened.
- November: A video conversation between general producer Kim Yong-ha and Yostar CEO Li Hengda, plus the account transfer page going live.
- January 2027: Maintenance for the publisher change.
- January 23 and 24, 2027: The Blue Archive Fes! event goes ahead as planned.
NEXON says it, NEXON Games and Yostar will work closely together until the switch is complete so players can keep playing without worry.
What Fans Are Worried About
For those who have not jumped in, Blue Archive puts you in the role of Sensei, an advisor to the Federal Investigation Club known as Schale in the massive academy city of Kivotos. You help its gun-toting students deal with all kinds of incidents, and the mix of school life comedy and surprisingly heavy story arcs is a big part of why it built such a loyal audience in Japan and beyond.
The biggest open question is what happens to the content Yostar created around the game. The Japanese side has produced a lot of extra material over the years, including its popular YouTube shorts, livestreams and collaborations. Neither company has said whether any of that will continue under NEXON.
If you play on the Japanese server, the best thing to do right now is make sure your account is linked and that you know your login details, so the transfer goes smoothly when the instructions arrive in November. Global players do not need to do anything, since NEXON was already their publisher.
It has been a busy stretch for anime gacha games in general, with Overlord's Lord of Nazarick heading for shutdown and Solo Leveling: Arise celebrating a big update. At least for Blue Archive, the game is not going anywhere.
Are you worried about Blue Archive changing hands in Japan, or do you think NEXON running everything will be good for the game?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.