Bilibili Comics Shuts Down International Platform Due to “Strategic Direction” Changes

Bilibili Comics will close its international platform by the end of February.

As detailed on their website, Bilibili Comics has announced that “due to a change in our strategic direction,” the comics platform will shut down their English side on Feb. 29, 2024 at 2 PM Singapore time (Feb. 28, 2024 at 10 PM PST / Feb. 29, 2024 at 1 AM EST). Users will not be able to log into their Comic Service or access any of the series on Bilibili Comics thereafter. Other changes leading up to its shut down include the closing of its recharge and registration portal where readers will not be able to register for any new accounts nor top up their coins to read comics. Bilibili Comics encouraged all of its users to use up their remaining coins in their accounts prior to Feb. 29.

The English-reading platform for Bilibili Comics opened in 2021 and has been home to numerous series including Global Examination, Heaven Official’s Blessing, Baili Jin Among Mortals, Goddess of Jealousy, and more. It was especially appealing because it allowed readers to read the first couple of chapters for free, allowing them to get a taste, before locking later chapters.

This is the second time that Bilibili Comics has sent out a notice regarding any kind of shut down, although this one is permanent. On Dec. 9, 2022, the English platform posted a message. A reader summarized the posting on Reddit, saying its parent company had originally wanted to shut it down. Although the staff managed to save the platform, it underwent significant changes due to its consequent financial constraints, such as not updating the app.

The loss of Bilibili Comics means there will be even fewer English platforms for manhua, when there are already a very limited number of platforms in the first place. This leaves WEBTOON and INKR as one of the last few places where fans can read manhua.

Source: Bilibili Comics