View source for BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War

{{Character Tabs|BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War}}
{{No English Localization|Information about this title only applies to Japan. No official announcement has been made regarding Western releases of this title.}}
{{Infobox Game
| nameJp           = ブレイブルー オルタナティブ　ダーク　ウォー
| nameEn           = BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War
| image            = [[File:BlazBlue Alternative Dark War Logo.png|300px]]
| Dev              = [[wikipedia:Arc_System_Works|Arc System Works]], Linked Brain, GEN.inc (before September 2018)
| Pub              = '''JP:''' [[wikipedia:Arc_System_Works|Arc System Works]]
| Gen              = Chain Combo x Novel RPG (Role-Playing)<ref>https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1299983.html</ref>
| Releases         = 
<span style="text-decoration:underline;">iOS, Android</span>
* '''JP:''' February 16, 2021
}}
'''BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War''' is a mobile game for iOS and Android systems. <ref name="BBDW-announcement"/> A companion promotional webcomic, {{h|[[BlazBlue Walker]]}}, was serialized with biweekly releases between Jan 11, 2018 and August 29, 2018. On Jan 17, 2021, the official BBDW Twitter account (@BBDarkWar) began making posts under a mascot character, [[Twikaka]], and releasing a continuation of ''BlazBlue Walker'' under the name ''Introducing BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War'' with weekly chapters every Saturday.

On November 29, 2021, the official support twitter announced ''BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War'' would terminate it's services on January 31, 2022.<ref>https://twitter.com/BBDWSUPPORT/status/1465531029498654731</ref> 

==Story==
:''Main article: [[BlazBlue_Alternative:_Dark_War/Quests]]''
<blockquote>
This is a story of arriving at the [[Azure]].<br/>
Taking a step away from natural peace,<br/>
The world starts to end...<br/>
The hell known as possibility begins.<ref name="BBDW">''BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War Official Website (JP), [http://www.blazblue.jp/bbdw/ Main Page]''</ref>
</blockquote>

==Characters==
:''Main article: [[Characters (BBDW)]]''
:''To add a character, [[Special:FormEdit/BBDW_Character|create a page for them here]].''
{{#lsth:Characters (BBDW)|All Characters}}

==Publicity==
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:100%;"
! data-sort-type="date" | Release Date
! Title
! Issue
! style="max-width:50%" | Contents
|-
| Feb 4, 2021 || Weekly Famitsu || [https://www.famitsu.com/news/202102/04213868.html February 18, 2021] ||Introductory Article<br/><small><i>Overview, [[Weekly Famitsu 20210218 BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War Interview with Toshimichi Mori|Interview with Mori Toshimichi]]</i></small><br>
[https://www.famitsu.com/news/202102/02213585.html Article Preview]
|}

==Development==

After the initial announcement of ''Dark War'' in August 2017, MORI Toshimichi, the producer of the ''BlazBlue'' series, began occasionally posting [[BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War/Gallery#Staff Extras|teaser sketches]] on Twitter. The initial promotional website for ''Dark War'' included music, the ''Dark War'' logo, and two pages of a prologue.

On January 11, 2018, the game's official website was updated with a short pitch for the story and an image and short description of Ciel Sulfur. <ref name="BBDW-site-update"/> The first episode of ''BlazBlue Walker'' was also released, to serialize on a biweekly schedule. Preregistrations opened on February 14, 2018, accompanied by a website update that added images and descriptions for both the male and female protagonist, as well as six other returning characters (Kazuma Kval, Trinity Glassfille, Jin Kisaragi, Noel Vermillion, Tsubaki Yayoi, and Bullet) alongside Ciel Sulfur. The ''Dark War'' logo was also replaced with a splash image featuring Raquel Alucard, Trinity Glassfille, Kazuma Kval, Jin Kisaragi, and Trinity Glassfille.

Originally planned for a 2018 release, the game was quietly delayed at the end of 2018. In May 2019, at a panel at MCM London, Mori confirmed the game was still in development. At this panel, <i>Dark War</i>'s story was stated to be a prologue to ''[[BlazBlue (Franchise)#C-Series|BlazBlue]]''. Gameplay was revealed to include teams and equipment, and that combos would form a major part of the gameplay.<ref name="mcm-london-2019"/>

The ''[[BlazBlue: Central Fiction Official Setting Material Collection]]'' (pp.269-271) has this description for ''Dark War'' as an upcoming BlazBlue-related product:
<blockquote><i>
BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War

The BlazBlue series' first smartphone RPG. Centering around the heroine Ciel, a new series opens up. Become acquaintances with characters from the series up until now, including [those] from the novels and comics, and make a party with those whom you like. (Release planned for 2018)
</i></blockquote>

''Dark War'' was also touched upon briefly in the BBCFMC's included interview with producer Mori-P. It would have branching choices similar to those of the ''[[BlazBlue (Franchise)#XBlaze|XBlaze]]'' series, featuring a single main story with branching sub-stories. The short stories would feature characters whose stories were cut or could not fit into the main series, with Mori-P mentioning Hazama, [[Platinum the Trinity|Platinum]] and their relationship to [[Bell]], Bullet, Hibiki, Meifang, Houichiro Hazuki, and characters that he personally would like to spend time writing about.<ref name="interview-BBCFMC"/>

January 13, 2021, the game's Reboot PV was released and its release date announced for roughly February 2021 on [[ArcNama]].<ref>ArcNama Regular Broadcast, Jan 2021 episode</ref>

===Pre-registration===
[[File:BlazBlue Alternative Dark War Preregistration 2.png|thumb|right|Screenshot of the pre-registration campaign on the official website]]
Pre-registration opened on Feb 14, 2018 and was available via the [http://www.blazblue.jp/bbdw/ official website] by signing up with email or by following the [https://twitter.com/BBDarkWar official ''Dark War'' Twitter]. The accompanying step-up campaign confirmed that the game would contain a [[wikipedia:Gashapon|gacha]].

On Jan 13, 2021 with the release of the game's Reboot PV, the pre-registration rewards were changed, adding EXP Crystals to different tiers, adjusting the P$ rewards, changing the Crystallized Azure cost for each pull from 30 to 200, removing Noel (Academy Uniform) from the last tier and making her a guaranteed reward, and adding Noel's grimoire to the final tier instead. Line was also added as a pre-registration option.

After September 22, 2021 it will not be possible anymore to receive the pre-registration rewards. Most of the rewards will be available in beginner-only missions instead.

The pre-registration milestone rewards are as follows:

{|class="wikitable"
! ||Reward||Date Reached
|-
!To all
|{{bbdw|character|Noel Vermillion (Academy)}}
|(none)
|-
!3,000
|{{bbdw|item|P$*150,000|display=icononly}}{{bbdw|item|AL Recovery Medicine (S)*5|display=icononly}}{{bbdw|item|EXP Crystal (M)*5|display=icononly}}
|N/A
|-
!5,000
|{{bbdw|item|Crystallized Azure*400|display=icononly}}{{bbdw|item|EXP Crystal (M)*10|display=icononly}}
|Feb 15, 2018<ref>''Twitter, BBDW (@BBDarkWar), [https://twitter.com/BBDarkWar/status/964091928550805505 Preregistrations have reached 5,000]''</ref>
|-
!10,000
|{{bbdw|item|Crystallized Azure Gacha Ticket*2|display=icononly}}{{bbdw|item|EXP Crystal (L)*5|display=icononly}}
|Feb 16, 2018<ref>''Twitter, BBDW (@BBDarkWar), [https://twitter.com/BBDarkWar/status/964429061643632640 Preregistrations have reached 10,000]''</ref>
|-
!30,000
|{{bbdw|item|Crystallized Azure*800|display=icononly}}{{bbdw|item|P$*500,000|display=icononly}}
|Jan 15, 2021<ref>''Twitter, BBDW (@BBDarkWar), [https://twitter.com/BBDarkWar/status/1350032479743311873 Preregistrations have reached 30,000]''</ref>
|-
!50,000
|{{bbdw|item|Crystallized Azure*1000|display=icononly}}{{bbdw|item|Crystallized Azure Gacha Ticket*2|display=icononly}}
|Jan 26, 2021<ref>''Twitter, BBDW (@BBDarkWar), [https://twitter.com/BBDarkWar/status/1354001130213302279 Preregistrations have reached 50,000]''</ref>
|-
!100,000
|{{bbdw|grimoire|風になびく詩}}<ref>Famitsu App (JP), [https://app.famitsu.com/20210113_1752185/ シリーズ最新作『ブレイブルー オルタナティブ ダークウォー』2021年2月に配信決定！事前登録も再開]</ref>{{bbdw|item|EXP Crystal (L)*10|display=icononly}}
|Feb 12, 2021<ref>''Twitter, BBDW (@BBDarkWar), [https://twitter.com/BBDarkWar/status/1360121458643599360 Preregistrations have reached 100,000]''</ref>
|}

Although it was not a milestone on the step-up campaign, the official twitter reported pre-registrations surpassing 20k on July 4, 2018 along with the release of Rebel.14 of ''[[BlazBlue Walker]]''.<ref>''Twitter, BBDW (@BBDarkWar), [https://twitter.com/BBDarkWar/status/1014441185031536642 BBWalker Ep. 14 is released and preregistrations have reached 20,000]</ref>
{{clear}}
<gallery>
File:BlazBlue Alternative Dark War Preregistration.jpg|150px|The old pre-registration campaign
</gallery>

==Videos==
===Opening===
{{#ev:youtube
|ChBsNyEVxnM
|240
|inline
|Animated by [http://www.yostar-pictures.co.jp/?lang=en Yostar Pictures]
|frame|||top}}
===Trailers===
{{#ev:youtube
|fSbyeiTM7GQ
|240
|inline
|Reboot PV (Japanese)
|frame|||top}}
{{#ev:youtube
|Y3HbWS_QBDs
|240
|inline
|Promotional Video (Japanese)
|frame|||top}}

===BlazBlue Lab===
{{#ev:youtube
|wJhti3HQYb4
|240
|inline
|BlazBlue Lab: Letters from the Devs #1<br/>Topics: Gameplay
|frame|||top}}
{{#ev:youtube
|CfAJFMIHEjE
|240
|inline
|BlazBlue Lab: Letters from the Devs #2<br/>Topics: Story
|frame|||top}}
{{#ev:youtube
|0VcV2BYmTT8
|240
|inline
|BlazBlue Lab: Letters from the Devs #3<br/>Topics: Character Progression
|frame|||top}}
{{#ev:youtube
|l2RPNjDQGgU
|240
|inline
|BlazBlue Lab: Letters from the Devs #4<br/>Topics: Launch Stream / Gacha / 1st Roadmap
|frame|||top}}
{{#ev:youtube
|1aLuzRmm3v0
|240
|inline
|BlazBlue Lab: Letters from the Devs #5<br/>Topics: Introducing "MEMORIES RESTORATION" event / Introducing Es and Raquel / Event banner draws from Mori until pulling Es / Roadmap until July 
|frame|||top}}
{{#ev:youtube
|LIL6T_bpnoo
|240
|inline
|BlazBlue Lab: Letters from the Devs #6<br/>Topics: Introducing "Wondrous Glasses and A Test of Love ~Spectacles of Eros CARNAGE~" event / Introducing Kokonoe and Noel (Fire) / Quiz with HONNIZUMI Rina / Updated roadmap
|frame|||top}}
{{#ev:youtube
|2FhsgRCMENg
|240
|inline
|BlazBlue Lab: Letters from the Devs #7<br/>Topics: Showcasing BBDW Premium Card Set Vol. 1 / Introducing "Guide of Devilish Dreams ~ Nightmare Fiction" and Hazama & Fuzzy / Games with HONNIZUMI Rina and Ozawa / Boss Challenge / Fanart Corner / Roadmap
|frame|||top}}
{{#ev:youtube
|W0qRiUxjH7s
|240
|inline
|BlazBlue Lab: Letters from the Devs #8<br/>Topics: Introducing "A Dream of Empty Skies" event, Another Dark Mai & Meifang Lapislazuli / Games with HONNIZUMI Rina and Ozawa / Fanart corner / Talk with MORI Toshimichi
|frame|||top}}
{{#ev:youtube
|y4jkpQE-bKM
|240
|inline
|BlazBlue Lab: Letters from the Devs #9<br/>Topics: Introducing "Welcome! To Ishana Fes! ~Grab Hold! Mage, Saint-to-be!", Nine (PS) and Chachakaka / Challenge battle with HONNIZUMI Rina / Fanart corner / Talk with MORI Toshimichi
|frame|||top}}
{{#ev:youtube
|n3yB830v_xI
|240
|inline
|BlazBlue Lab: Letters from the Devs #10<br/>Topics: Introducing "Summer-dyed Sunshine! ~Blue Seas, Talking Island~" event, Summer Platinum, Mai and Kuon / Challeng battle with HONNIZUMI Rina and Summer characters / Fanart corner / Upcoming updates, with MORI Toshimichi
|frame|||top}}

===BlazBlue Radio NEO===
{{#ev:youtube
|kP5HRtoBiYw
|240
|inline
|BuruRaji NEO #8 ~BBDW, Start!<br/>Hosts: IMAI Asami / KONDŌ Kanako / HONNIZUMI Rina
<br/>Guest: SUGITA Tomokazu
|frame|||top}}

==External Links==
*[http://www.blazblue.jp/bbdw/ Official Website (JP)]
*[https://twitter.com/BBDarkWar Official Twitter (JP)]
*[https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/blazblue-alternative-darkwar/id1548680724 Apple App Store page (JP)]
*[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.arcsystemworks.bbdw Google Play Store page (JP)]

==References==
<references>
<ref name="BBDW">''BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War Official Website (JP), [http://www.blazblue.jp/bbdw/ Main Page]''</ref>
<ref name="BBDW-announcement">''Gematsu, [http://gematsu.com/2017/08/blazblue-alternative-dark-war-announced-ios-android| BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War announced for iOS, Android]''</ref>
<ref name="BBDW-site-update">''Siliconera, [http://www.siliconera.com/2018/01/11/blazblue-alternative-dark-war-launches-in-japan-in-2018-teases-new-heroine-named-ciel-sulphur/ BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War Launches in Japan in 2018, Teases New Heroine Named Ciel Sulphur]''</ref>
<ref name="interview-BBCFMC">''BlazBlue: Central Fiction Official Setting Material Collection, [[BlazBlue:_Central_Fiction_Official_Setting_Material_Collection/Interview|Special Interview with Mori Toshimichi]]''</ref>
<!--<ref name="interview-AppBank-2017">''AppBank, [[AppBank 2017 Year-End Creator Survey Vol. 2|2017 Year-End Creator Survey Vol. 2]]''</ref>-->
<ref name="mcm-london-2019">MCM London 2019, PQube x Arc System Works panel, https://twitter.com/BlazBlue_Wiki/status/1134209294625206272</ref>
</references>

{{Game_Navigation}}

[[Category:Games]]
[[Category:Media]]
[[Category:Mobile Games]]