Drama in Project Sekai: Devs rewrite lore to force shipping, fans outraged

On April 11, 2023, the official Project Sekai account announced a sweeping set of changes to character biographies, main storylines, and card dialogues. Ostensibly meant to fix a continuity error regarding Mizuki’s story arc, fans quickly dubbed this 'revisionist history' (or 'Suiyue Shishu' in local slang). The core controversy lies in who was the 'first' to discover Ena's art—a title previously held by the character Kanade.

In the original lore, Kanade’s recognition of Ena’s art was a pivotal moment. To force the 'Mizuki x Ena' ship, developers clumsily split the definition of 'first' into 'physical' (Mizuki) and 'mental' (Kanade). Players argued that this retcon is logically bankrupt and diminishes the existing character development, turning Ena into a mere 'tool' (a 'shipping prop') to serve the developer's marketing agenda.

In the comments, fans expressed their frustration, with one user famously remarking, 'To avoid the retcon, they just tore up the book!' Others criticized the developer, SEGA, for perceived greed—specifically regarding back-to-back 5-star gacha releases and poor narrative treatment. Fans feel that the developer is sacrificing character depth for the sake of forced shipping, leaving many longtime supporters feeling alienated and disrespected.