Sonic Team has certainly been coy about the cult success of its non-Sonic IP, such as SEGA Saturn classics NiGHTS into Dreams and Burning Rangers. But if a new interview with Famitsu is anything to go by, it seems like studio head Yuji Naka is keen to explore the potential to create some sequels. Continue reading Yuji Naka Plans to ‘Discuss’ NiGHTS, Burning Rangers Sequels Soon
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Christmas has come, in more ways than one! Not only is it literally Christmas in a couple days time, but Sonic Team has also figuratively brought the festivities to Japanese fans by releasing not one, not two, but three games this past week! Continue reading Christmas Comes Early for Japan as Three Sonic Team Games Release
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And the awards just keep on coming for Phantasy Star Online. Sonic Team’s innovative console RPG has been honoured by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in this year’s Interactive Entertainment awards. This is a big deal, as BAFTA is the leading arts group in the UK. Continue reading Phantasy Star Online Earns Accolade from BAFTA
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Sonic Team head Yuji Naka revealed at SEGA’s Consumer Conference that the Gamecube release of Phantasy Star Online will be accompanied by a third-party controller by ASCII that features a small keyboard. On the Xbox, PSO will be unique in that it will support the broadband features of Microsoft’s console, as opposed to Dreamcast and Gamecube’s modem connectivity.
Read more on these, as well as the news coming from other SEGA developers and executives from the Consumer Conference, in Gamespot’s report.
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In a keynote address at this year’s Tokyo Game Show, newly-third-partied SEGA unveiled its new global strategy that it says will make the company the #1 independent game publisher in the world. And if its slides are anything to go by, Sonic Team classic NiGHTS into Dreams could be a part of that strategy. Continue reading NiGHTS Gamecube Teased as SEGA Announces New Global Content Strategy
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Good news for potential Xbox owners – Sonic Team has revealed at this year’s Tokyo Game Show that a version of Phantasy Star Online version 2 will be coming to Microsoft’s big black box. As Microsoft is intending to move into the online gaming space, it makes sense for SEGA to think about the Xbox as a viable platform for PSO. No more details were revealed, so we’ll have to wait and see what form it takes.
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American third-party publisher THQ has announced a partnership with SEGA that will see it co-publish six SEGA-developed and ten co-developed Game Boy Advance games throughout 2001, 2002 and 2003, including Sonic Advance. Continue reading THQ to Co-Publish Six SEGA GBA Games in the West
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Hold on to your butts, PC owners – you’re finally going to get a taste of the online RPG goodness that is Phantasy Star Online. SEGA has confirmed that Sonic Team is working on a home computer version of the award-winning sci-fi adventure, and that graphically it will look about four times better than the Dreamcast original. Fancy that! Continue reading Phantasy Star Online Heading to PC
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At Space World, Sonic Team head Yuji Naka spoke about the state of the games industry today, and how Nintendo’s strategy with the Gamecube fits in with the current landscape. In particular, he explained why SEGA as a company has been such a key third party partner for the platform – and it’s because he feels that Nintendo has the ability to inspire players. Continue reading Yuji Naka: Nintendo’s Gamecube Will Revitalise Gaming Industry
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Nintendo has revealed that it will be releasing modem adaptors and launching its online network for Gamecube early 2002 – and Phantasy Star Online will release on the purple box at the same time (March 2002) to take full advantage of it. No pricing plans have been revealed yet, but we’re bound to know more soon as Space World is just around the corner.
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Sonic Team will now attempt to press criminal charges against individuals hacking into Phantasy Star Online servers. Hacking into a server is illegal under the Japanese penal code. The ‘Team is working with the police to track hackers inside Japan and out, and in some cases, the International Interpol has been notified.
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According to Dengeki Online, Yuji Naka’s wonderful multiplayer RPG Phantasy Star Online has won yet another award. At the Sixth Annual Animation Kobe, Phantasy Star Online received the Best Network Media award, adding to it several awards received from various conventions including Tokyo Game Show and Game Developers Conference.
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Don’t expect the Gamecube version of Phantasy Star Online to be released as a launch title for the console. Yuji Naka has explained that, even though the game is likely to be completed by the time the Gamecube launches, he is considering holding the game back until Nintendo reveals more details about its networking plans. It doesn’t seem like there will be online connectivity straight out of the box, which would make a game like PSO pretty useless.
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Even though the Dreamcast is on its way out, there’s no need for you to worry about whether that Broadband Adaptor will continue to be supported. SEGA has confirmed that the US release of Phantasy Star Online Version 2 will indeed support the peripheral. The catch is that, for some reason, the game won’t support PPPoE connections. Still, you’ll be able to get some good broadband play in. The game arrives September 11.
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Hold on to your RPG hats, because SEGA is preparing three new quests for Phantasy Star Online players on July 19th; all of which pay homage to other Sonic Team franchises. Continue reading PSO Getting Three New ‘Sonic Team’ Quests This Week
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Finally! SEGA has announced a new release date for Phantasy Star Online Version 2 in the US. It will hit stores there on September 11th. The game will also charge an online fee of $15 for three months of unlimited play, in addition to its $39.99 price tag.
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It’s great that we’re seeing a new Puyo Puyo game appear on the Game Boy Advance. Sonic Team seems to think so too, as it has launched the official website for the upcoming game – and we’ve plucked a bunch of artwork from the site to share with you here. Continue reading New Artwork Revealed for Puyo Puyo Advance
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You’d think with all the delays that Sega would just cancel developing Phantasy Star Online Version 2 for the West. But according to a story on Gamespot, the Dreamcast online RPG is still very much on track for an English language release. “Definitely coming to the US” was the official line, although the date, server fees and more details are said to be revealed soon. Let’s hope it’s very, very soon.
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Sonic Team’s puzzle game series, Puyo Puyo (released on Mega Drive in the West as Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine) is getting a portable version for Game Boy Advance! The blob-busting strategy game will be released in Japan on October 18th for 4,800 Yen. Continue reading Puyo Puyo Advance Announced, Launching October
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Samba loves to party, so why not party with him? These official 10″ plush toys have just been released, and you can buy a set that includes Samba, Linda, Rio and Bingo at the online store NCS for $9 each. Get orderin’! See below for images of each plush toy on sale. Continue reading Merch Alert: Samba de Amigo Plush Toys Hit Stores
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Yuji Naka has talked some more about Phantasy Star Online for the Nintendo Gamecube. In particular, he’s revealed how the version’s four-player mode came about – and would you believe it, it’s all because the development team had single machines lined up next to each other. Continue reading Yuji Naka Talks PSO Gamecube Four-Player Mode
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So many PSO Version 2 delays! This time it’s the US version of the game that’s being held back, originally due to release on July 10th but has recently changed to ‘TBD’ (To Be Determined) on SEGA’s official website. It’s likely that the game won’t see light of day in the West until August or September.
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Sonic, Tails and Knuckles have made their way onto the North American and European Phantasy Star Online servers! We weren’t sure if they were going to appear after we heard the news that they’d cameo on the Japanese version, but this is great news! Continue reading Sonic Appears on US/EU PSO Servers
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Check this out – Sega has released brand new screenshots of Phantasy Star Online featuring characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Seems like Sonic Team wants to hype up the blue blur’s 10th Anniversary as much as possible! Continue reading Sonic to Make Appearances in PSO Throughout June
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Reuters reports that Sega and Sonic Team will be making a special version of Phantasy Star Online for PlayStation 2. The game will be released later this year in the US and will apparently be one of the first products that will be involved with Sega’s latest collaboration with Sony, which will also see Dreamcast users link up to PS2 players.
Via Reuters
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Sonic Team’s own Yuji Naka had a chance to talk with the folks at Famitsu about the upcoming Gamecube port of Phantasy Star Online, and its actual online capacity. “I haven’t done any work concerning the Gamecube PSO network yet. What I want you to know for now is how passionate we are about Gamecube.” Continue reading Naka: PSO Gamecube Netcode Ready for Broadband Adaptor Launch
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SEGA has just released official information on a a whole bunch of titles that they will be releasing this year. Read on for all the press release details for Sonic Advance, Sonic Adventure 2, ChuChu Rocket on Game Boy Advance and Phantasy Star Online Version 2. Continue reading Press Release Update: Sonic Advance, Sonic Adventure 2, ChuChu Rocket GBA and PSO Version 2
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Check out the official box art for Phantasy Star Online Version 2. It looks way cool! One thing that’s clearly noticeable from the front cover however are the words “Credit Card Required for Online Play (Details Inside).” Continue reading PSO Version 2 Box Artwork Unveiled – Online Play Requires Credit Card
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Yuji Naka has been talking a lot about Phantasy Star Online on Nintendo’s Gamecube this past week. When it comes to porting other Sonic Team franchises on the console, however, he’s a little more coy. Continue reading Yuji Naka Undecided on Next-Gen Samba de Amigo
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After an initial delay to beef up security to the game’s netcode, SEGA has announced that Phantasy Star Online Version 2’s release date has been pushed back again in Japan. Continue reading PSO Version 2 Delayed in Japan… Again
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Sonic Team leader Yuji Naka was at the E3 conference this week showing off Phantasy Star Online on the Nintendo Gamecube, and he mentioned that developing for the console has been a breeze so far. Continue reading Naka: Gamecube PSO Port Took A Single Month to Make
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Sega has revealed their core line-up of titles that will be showcased at E3 2001. It looks like the company wants their foray into third party development to start with a bang, as a swathe of Gamecube and Game Boy Advance titles have been announced, alongside a rather large number of Dreamcast games. Continue reading SEGA Reveals E3 2001 Lineup
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Seems like Sonic Team is getting serious with Phantasy Star Online hackers and pirates. Following a series of mishaps, including the hijacking of a live event, the developer is introducing a ‘three strikes’ penalty policy on offenders. Continue reading Sonic Team Cracks Down on PSO Pirates
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Sonic Team’s lead producer, Yuji Naka, has won an award for Best Programmer at the annual high profile Association of Media in Digital (AMD) Awards in Japan. Congratulations Naka-san! Continue reading Yuji Naka Wins Best Programmer Award for PSO Innovations
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Could PSO Version 2 also see a global release? That’s the current chatter happening in the Sega community this week, with suggestions that Sonic Adventure 2 will just be the first of many games that will enjoy a co-ordination worldwide launch. Continue reading Rumour: PSO Version 2 Could Get Global Launch
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It’s official – Phantasy Star Online ver 2 will indeed be hitting North American Dreamcast consoles, as well as Japan. Sega confirmed the existence of the Western release when announcing server downtime for the original Phantasy Star Online. Continue reading PSO Version 2 Confirmed for North American Release
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