Blue Archive has climbed to the top spot on the Japanese Apple App Store, riding the wave of its 5th-anniversary update and a massive offline event.

The celebration kicked off with the 5th Anniversary Festival, held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan, from January 17 to 18. The event offered fans a chance to dive into the game’s world through immersive exhibits, hands-on programs, and live broadcasts.

Furthermore, the 'Blue Archive Live 5th Anniversary Special Day 2' broadcast, which unveiled the anniversary update details, pulled in a peak of roughly 90,000 concurrent viewers. The update introduces new students 'Kei' and 'Aris (Armed)', the main story 'Ex. Decagrammaton' Chapter 3 'The Sky of Indivisibility', and the new joint special operation 'Steel Continent Strategy'.

The 'Blue Archive Live 5th Anniversary Special Day 2' dominated the top spot on Japan's X (formerly Twitter) real-time trends. Four related keywords, including 'Kei-chan', 'Memorial Lobby', and 'Aris in battle', also cracked the top 10.

Thanks to this fervent reception, Blue Archive secured the No.1 spot on the Japanese Apple App Store on the 21st, immediately following the update. This marks the 13th time the title has claimed the top revenue spot in Japan.

NEXON Games is planning several collaborations this year to expand the IP's footprint. February will see Blue Archive student sculptures displayed at the 2026 Sapporo Snow Festival, alongside a partnership with the 'Spring Akihabara Electric Town Festival 2026'. They are also teaming up with the 'Atre' shopping mall in Akihabara for massive outdoor advertisements and pop-up stores, plus releasing exclusive collaboration merchandise with convenience store chain 'Lawson' and the anime/game retailer 'Animate'.

NEXON Games Executive PD Kim Yong-ha remarked, "This 5th anniversary in Japan is a milestone built by the time spent by every single 'Sensei' who has watched over and been with Blue Archive for the past five years." He added, "I am truly grateful for the support and affection shown to us, and we will continue to work hard to deliver content and events that will keep you excited throughout 2026."