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AOKANA's Game Maker sprite Halts Operations

The official website for the AOKANA: Four Rhythm Across the Blue franchise announced on Tuesday that the sprite brand will halt operations following the release of the AOKANA: Four Rhythm Across the Blue (Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm) Perfect Edition / 4th Anniversary Box on November 30. The announcement cited an industry that is said to reduce 15% every year, the worsening of fundraising circumstances, and the circumstances of current projects. The brand currently has no concrete plans to resume operations.

Development on Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm Extra 2 and Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm Zwei has been indefinitely halted. The sprite Store will close in spring 2019, but the company will still release original merchandise for its "sprite Summer Vacation" event this summer.

sprite/fairys announced in May that it was dissolving the fairys brand, so AOKANA: Four Rhythm Across the Blue, which is copyrighted under sprite/fairys, would be copyrighted under sprite only. Smartphone game company FLEET announced in March that it was acquiring fairys, but the announcement is no longer available.

sprite/fairys released AOKANA: Four Rhythm Across the Blue on PC in November 2014, for PlayStation Vita in February 2016, for PlayStation 4 in January 2017, and for Nintendo Switch in March 2018. The game received a television anime adaptation by Gonzo that premiered in January 2016.

sprite also published the original game for Love, Election and Chocolate in 2010.

Thanks to Mami Kawada Lover for the news tip.

Source: AOKANA: Four Rhythm Across the Blue franchise's website