Blue Archive January Update: Banner Shifts, Event Deadlines,
Blue Archive’s January maintenance brings major banner changes, reward deadlines, and free Pyroxene. Get insights, critical timelines, and F2P pulls.
Lumine Lee 
Alt text: Official Blue Archive maintenance banner with Schale Secretariat Office branding, showing date and time for server downtime and a summary of ending events.
Veteran's Take: January Patch Sets the Stage for Banner Strategy
Blue Archive players face a significant wave of content rotations and event closures with this January maintenance. While players will earn Pyroxene x600 for downtime compensation, the real headline is the tightly packed set of banner endings and event deadlines, which require careful planning—especially for those optimizing their pulls and inventory ahead of the next recruitment cycle.
With multiple Pick-Up Recruitments ending, including high-value targets like Toki, Nagisa, Kanna, and Chiaki, alongside the closure of time-limited shops and event period claims, this update acts as a clear reset before the next phase of content. Precise attention around these milestones could mean the difference between securing a coveted student or missing out until a rerun.
At a Glance
- Maintenance: 2024-01-13 (Tue) 02:00–07:00 UTC (servers offline; all regions)
- Free Pyroxene: 600 delivered after maintenance
- Banner endings: Toki, Nagisa, Kanna, Chiaki Pick-Ups close; recruitment points reset
- Event deadlines: 'Say-Bing!' reward/exchange, Tea Party Summer Vacation login, Shinon's Battle Pass product period, and more
- Shop expiration: All Promise series packs leave the Pyroxene Shop
- Upcoming closure: 2024-01-20 (Tue) 02:00 UTC — final delivery for Shinon's Battle Pass and Total Assault (Hod) rewards
Historical Context: Banner Deadlines, Repeat Patterns, and F2P Opportunity
This maintenance fits Blue Archive’s cyclical patch rhythm, echoing the pre-event resets seen ahead of prior large-scale event banners—most recently during the New Year's and Anniversary rotations. Each cycle, players experience a convergence of banner endings, claim deadlines, and consumable sales expiring together—enforcing a hard cutoff and ensuring new banners arrive with a clean slate for both whales and F2P players.
For those following event arc storylines, this type of reset typically signals either a major student debut or a rerun, making resource pacing and patience critical. The expired picks—particularly Toki or Nagisa—are unlikely to return quickly, based on past banner cadence. For those considering saving Pyroxene or banking tickets, this is effectively a soft warning.
Banner Schedule: Endings & Expiring Recruitments
| Banner | Start Date | End Date (UTC) | Featured Units | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toki Pick-Up | Not stated | 2024-01-13 02:00 | Toki | Points reset on end |
| Nagisa Pick-Up | Not stated | 2024-01-13 02:00 | Nagisa | Points reset on end |
| Kanna Pick-Up | Not stated | 2024-01-13 02:00 | Kanna | Points reset on end |
| Chiaki Pick-Up | Not stated | 2024-01-13 02:00 | Chiaki | Points reset on end |
Note: Start dates for banners not stated in official materials. Always verify with in-game notices.
Recruitment points will reset with the end of these banners. If you are near pity (e.g., 180 pulls for a guaranteed unit), plan accordingly to avoid waste. No information about the next set of banners was provided in this announcement.
Upcoming Deadlines for Events, Login, and Purchases
Key content expiring with maintenance (2024-01-13 UTC):
– Say-Bing! event: Reward claim & exchange period ends
– Tea Party’s Summer Vacation: Login bonus period ends
– Shinon’s Battle Pass: Product and sales schedules close
– Pyroxene Shop: All Promise 3★ series packs, Weekly AP II, Skill/EX/Gift Packs, Equipment blueprints, Activity Reports, and Credit Packs removed
– Special tickets from Pyroxene Shop can be used until 2024-01-20 (Tue) 01:59 UTC; after this, tickets expire
Additional expiration (2024-01-20 UTC):
– Shinon’s Battle Pass: Unclaimed rewards delivery ends
– Total Assault (Hod/Urban Warfare): Reward claim period ends
For the Min-Maxers: Efficient Resource Planning
- Pull before points reset: Recruit on Toki, Nagisa, Kanna, or Chiaki banners if you’re close to pity; points reset cannot be recovered.
- Claim rewards early: Turn in all event currencies for Say-Bing! before the scheduled downtime. Similarly, redeem any unclaimed shop purchases, Battle Pass tiers, and login bonuses.
- Use timed tickets from Pyroxene Shop: Both the "Unique Recruitment" and "Student Guaranteed (x10)" tickets expire at 2024-01-20 01:59 UTC. Plan your pulls, especially if waiting for the next pool of units.
- Note on F2P/low-spend: With packs and bonuses ending, Pyroxene will need to be tightly managed for February’s patch, which often syncs with seasonal limited units or major reruns based on previous patch cycles (not confirmed at time of writing).
Community Chatter
Within the Blue Archive subreddit and the major Discord community, sentiment has been split. Many players planned their Pyroxene spend around New Year's banners and are now debating whether to risk last-minute pulls on Toki or hold for rumored collaborations or anniversary units. A consistent refrain is a warning from veterans: never let banner pity go to waste, but don’t blow resources speculatively when next banners are unconfirmed. This echoes past frustrations from players who missed limited students due to hasty pulls before content resets like in the 2023 Summer update cycle.
Preparation Checklist Before Maintenance
- Complete and submit all Say-Bing! event tasks; spend all event currency
- Log in for the final Tea Party’s Summer Vacation bonus day
- Finish Shinon Battle Pass tiers; claim all rewards
- Make any last Pyroxene Shop purchases; use time-limited tickets by 2024-01-20
- Check in-game mailbox for any pending or delayed rewards from past events
- Plan stamina usage accordingly; AP Packs will be unavailable post-maintenance
Unconfirmed
No new banners, characters, or major content additions have been announced in official materials for the period immediately following the 2024-01-13 maintenance. Community rumors regarding upcoming rerun cycles or limited students remain Unconfirmed — subject to change.
Conclusion: Play It Smart, Watch for the Reset
The January 2024 maintenance in Blue Archive marks more than just a routine downtime—it’s a hard reset for banners, events, and shop offerings, with direct implications for both F2P optimization and high-investment players. Prioritizing timely claims and strategic pulls ensures you don't lose valuable progress to the reset. Next focus: stay alert for official announcements detailing new banners, especially if you’re saving for an expected collaboration or major rerun.
For detailed guidance on upcoming units or a full breakdown of best-in-slot teams, see EarlyGG's Blue Archive Tier Lists and Resource Guides. For official patch information, always check in-game notices or the game's official website.