Metap, the studio behind the free-to-play NFT RPG Gensokishi Online (a Web3-powered follow-up to the classic MMORPG Elemental Knights Online), announced on April 21 its intention to hand over operational rights to Japanese firm Hanabitei. This decision comes just two months after Metap revealed plans to shut down the game’s servers on April 30 due to financial struggles.
While it’s common in the gaming industry for companies to acquire troubled live-service titles, what makes this situation unusual is that Hanabitei was founded entirely by fans with the goal of preserving the game. Identified by their usernames Kurokage and Alamode, the two players—also members of the in-game guild “Hanabitei”—are now taking legal measures to register their company as they prepare to assume operational control of Gensokishi Online.
According to Famitsu, Metap and Hanabitei are in talks to finalize a formal contract, expected to be signed by early May. Once the agreement is in place, development will commence under a newly crafted reboot strategy aimed at optimizing operational costs and revenue. Provided there are no setbacks, the game is slated to relaunch under Hanabitei sometime between August and September of this year.
When Metap first announced the game’s shutdown in February, the developer stated they had been exploring options to transfer operational rights to another party or find a new owner. The company cited that they chose to partner with Hanabitei because, “considering [Kurokage and Alamode’s] past contributions and achievements within the game, […] they are a dependable and ideal partner for the operational handover.”
Mido