The Future

Recent News:

3/16/07: The Magic Box report that Sega will release a Sega Ages Playstation 2 disc in Japan this summer that contains PS1, 2, 3, and 4.

9/3/06: PS2, 3, and 4 will finally arrive on a modern U.S. non-handheld console this fall when the Sega Genesis Collection will be released for the Playstation 2. The expected date for this great-value package, containing over 25 classic Sega Genesis games, is expected to arrive in late October.

6/28/05: Here are come promotional images from Sega's E3 presentation of Phantasy Star Universe

PSU Press Release

3/20/05: Japanese magazine Shounen Jump has recently stated that Phantasy Star Universe will arrive in Japan this winter. It will be released for the PS2 and PC. No other platforms were mentioned. It is still unclear what type of online play the game will feature.

2/17/05: Has Conspiracy Games folded? There are rumors it has, or is close to doing so. Will the PS Trilogy ever be released in the states?

10/27/04: EBGames.com is showing a 2/1/05 release date for the Phantasty Star 3-game remake complilation for the PS2.

7/11/04: Yeah, I'm way overdue on posting this update... but the American branch of Sony's software are isn't going to allow Conspiracy games to release the Sega Ages remake games individually in the United States. Therefore, the PS remakes will be released in compilation form sometime next year.

5/13/04: Another new E3, another new PS game announced. Yesterday Sega revealed a teaser trailer (all FMV) for Phantasy Star Universe, developed by Sonic Team, and... that's all we know. There is no word on platform, release date, storyline, or features. However, it was been reported by journalists that it will be an action-oriented MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing game.)

You can find a videos of the trailer at IGN.

Old News:

10/10/03: Conspiracy Games has announced that they will be bringing the recent Sega Ages remake games (PS2) to the U.S. in the first quarter of 2004... meaning the PS1 remake is headed this way!

9/3/03: Sega of Japan has announced that PSO: Episode 3 (C.A.R.D. Battle) for the Gamecube will be released on November 27th in Japan. Also on that date Sega will release PSO: Episodes 1 and 2 Plus for the Gamecube. This game will feature many of the current online quests as offline quests. There also will be new items available. Plus will operate on the same network as the "regular" Gamecube PSO.

6/5/03: Sega of Japan has reworked some of the character graphics in the upcoming PS1 remake for the Japanese Playstation 2. The game is expected to go on sale on August 25 of this year, though no announcement has been made on releases outside of the Japanese territory.

The above screenshots come courtesy of Orakio Rob of www.gazetadealgol.cjb.net and his Japanese friend Storm.

Even more screenshots, collated by "Rico Castro" from various sources.

4/28/03: Sega announced that they will showcase Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution for the GameCube at May's Electronics Entertainment Expo. Picture PSO with card battles instead of the normal battles, and you'll get the idea. You may remember that this title was mentioned on this page nearly a year ago on May 22, 2002. Pics from ToTheGame. Click for larger versions.

12/26/02: PSO for the U.S. XBox is now tenatively scheduled for February 23rd, 2003

12/3/02: Sega of Japan will release new versions of PS1, PS2, and PS4 under their Sega Ages line for the Playstation 2. PS1 will be released in the summer of 2003. Each game will feature completely redone graphics. From The Magic Box via PSDB member bds.

10/11/02: Sonic Team's XBox PSO page is up

9/30/02: In a Gamespot interview with Yuji Naka, head of Sonic Team, it was revealed that the XBox version of PSO Ep. 1 and 2 is done. All that remains is for Microsoft to schedule it's release.

9/20/02: Sonic Team now claims that PSO for the XBox will be the "Episodes 1 and 2" version, and will be released in Japan January 16, 2003.

7/26/02: The GC version of PSO will have decorated lobbies online. These include a 'lounge', and a 'winter retreat', among others. The Temple and Spaceship areas will have their own new bosses. Finally, the U.S. release still seems to be set at 10/18/02. All from Mamak Int.

7/22/02: The GC version of PSO will have a message board feature, for leaving messages for those whose guild cards you have that are not online. Messages can also be posted for everyone in the lobby to read. From Mamak Int.

7/11/02: Sega has delayed the Japanese release of PSO for the GC until September 12th.

6/4/02: Sega announced today that Phantasy Star Online Episode 1 and 2 for the Gamecube will be released on August 8th in Japan for 6800 yen. It will work with both the modem and broadband adapter, as well as Ascii's keyboard controller.

5/22/02: Sega is developing a card battle game using a Phantasy Star theme for the Gamecube. Odd, that.

Concerning the XBox version of PSO, it will not feature keyboard support. Instead, players will communicate through a microphone setup. Expect the game to be launched with the XBox Live network itself this fall.

4/12/02: It is confirmed that an item exchange menu will be added to the GC version of PSO! No more dropping items and hoping you won't get ripped off.

3/31/02: Sega has announced/shown that the Gamecube version will contain three new areas... mountain, beach, and jungle. The game still features the previously confirmed three new character classes; it will also have significantly improved graphics and new rare weapons. PSO merchandise is also planned for release.

3/29/02: We finally have a firm release announcement concerning the Gamecube version... sort of... Titled PSO: Episodes 1 and 2, a trial version will be released in Japan in May, in various bundled configurations with the GC modem and the GC keyboard. This is dictated by a planned network testing period during the month of June, similar to the original Dreamcast network trial back in late 2000. The full version will ship subsequent to the test period. Pricing for the game/modem bundle is reasonable (around $75 U.S.) but the game/modem/keyboard bundle seems somewhat overpriced (around $125 U.S.) These are the Japanese release plans, so in my opinion the earliest we could expect a U.S. release is August, if not as late as the fall. See Gamecube Inside

3/27/02: According to The GIA, Sega just announced that PS1-3 will be released on one cartridge for the Game Boy Advance in early 2003. Note that this is an official announcement of the official confirmation that Sega gave in June of last year. THQ will be the publisher.

3/26/02: According to IGN, Nintendo has confirmed that PSO for the Gamecube is complete, as is the modem peripheral. No release date was mentioned.

2/16/02: Yuji Naka, commenting on future PSO releases, recently told South Korean reporters that the Gamecube version is his team's current focus, and the XBox version will only be worked on when the GC version is done. From Makak via Gamefront Germany.

12/19/01: Sonic Team has released a small playable demo of PSO for the PC. You can download the 13 MB file here.

10/12/01: The Gamecube version of PSOV2 will definitely feature three new character classes: HUcaseal, FOmar, and RAmarl.

Sega announced today that a version of PSO will appear on Microsoft's Xbox sometime in the late Spring or Summer of next year. It will be packed in with the Xbox console, but will also be available separately.

They also announced that a version of PSO will be coming to the U.S. PC market sometime in the future, just as it is coming to the Japanese PC market.

These announcements come from Charles Bellfield, a vice president at SOA.

9/11/01: Sega announced today that PSOV2 will be released for Windows PCs in Japan this year. It will feature enhanced graphics, enhanced sound, and two new languages: Korean and Chinese. It is unclear at this point if the game will interoperate on the existing Dreamcast network, as well as if it will be released in the U.S.

9/6/01: According to The Gaming Intelligence Agency, Sega has confirmed that the Dreamcast and Gamecube PSOV2 networks will be compatible with each other.

9/1/01: According to Sega's website, PSOV2 is now scheduled for a North American release on September 25.

8/23/01: Recent news for the Gamecube release of PSOV2: the game will include two new character classes, FOmar and HUcaseal and the game will allow online play through the Gamecube's modem (set to arrive in 2002.) It is expected that PSO V2 for the Gamecube will be released around the same time as the modem.

7/16/01: Sega announced today that the U.S. version of PSO Version 2 will be released on September 11th. The fee for online access will be $15 for a three month period.

6/13/01: Several websites are reporting that Sega has confirmed that they will be bringing the classic PS series to the Game Boy Advance.

6/11/01: Sega announced today that PSO Version 2 will be released on July 10th in the United States.

5/22/01: Sega announced today that PSO Version 2 will now be released June 7th in Japan.

5/16/01: Press materials issued during this year's pre-E3 Nintendo press conference indicate that PSO Version 2 will be released on the Gamecube sometime in 2002. A four-player split-screen mode will be included, meaning that players can team up using the same console. The coming Dreamcast version does not have this feature.

4/24/01: Sega announced that PSO Version 2 will definitely be released in the United States. No date was given. May 31st is the current Japanese release date.

4/19/01: Sega announced in a press conference today that PSO will appear on other platforms in the near future. No further explanation was given.

3/14/01: Sega will release PSO version 2 in Japan on May 31st of this year. The disc will contain two new areas to explore, new mags, a new difficulty level with a higher max character level and new enemies. Also, there will be mini games for the lobby, and games for the battlefield, such as Capture the Flag, and possibly player-to-player battle mode. You can also exect bug fixes that may eliminate corrupted or initialized character files. Current the U.S. release date is undetermined.

2/14/01: Charles Bellfield, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Sega of America, announced today that there is a sequel to Phantasy Star Online coming to the Dreamcast, possibly this year. SOA Interview at Gameweek.com;

9/19/99: Sega held back until the last day of the Tokyo Game Show... but it came nonetheless. Dreamcast.ign.com obtained a handful of screenshots of PSO; they have been potsed here for your perusal. The game is definitely early in development... but nonetheless looks breathtaking, to say the least. Check out PSO's page here.

9/17/99: It's official! Phantasy Star Online is a reality! Sega released a list of games to be shown at this Fall's Tokyo Game Show (going on right now!) and PSO was on the list. Still not convinced? Well, how about a PSO t-shirt, direct from Sega's Japanese web site? Are you convinced now?

Raise your hand if this isn't one of the most killer logos you've ever seen for a game... Although the traditional PS font is gone, Algo still shines through in all it's glory (assuming it is Algo, of course!) This is the biggest PS news to hit since the announcement of the PS Collection disc... no, I take that back. This is the biggest news since PS: The End of the Millenium was announced! (No disrespect intended to the wonderful work that Magic Translations, Nafligh, Adol, the PS:Dark Millenium team, Rebecca Capowski, and others have done in the past few years.)

Except for the PS Team itself, there's only one development team that I'd trust to take over the franchise... Sonic Team! From Sonic to Nights, from Burning Rangers to the Shining games, Sonic Team has consistantly pushed the gaming envelope, filling each of their releases with a ton of imagination, terrific characters, and new gameplay paradigms (never thought I'd actually use that word... hmm...) Whatever they have in store for us this time, I'm sure it will be unlike anything else out there!

9/11/99: According to Gaming Intelligence, the newest issue of the Japanese Dreamcast Magazine introduces Phantasy Star Online as a game by Sonic Team heading to the Dreamcast. No one outside of Sega seems to know any details about it, but it seems as if we may finally be seeing a new true PS game. Way to go, Sega!

Sega X (www.segadreamcast.net) posted the following article on 9-2-98:

"Imagine this, Phantasy Star on the Dreamcast. Almost to the day that the Dreamcast was announced, rumors began to circulate about a Phantasy Star sequel on DC. But that's where it stayed, as a rumor -- with hardcore Phantasy Star fans rationalizing that Sega would never be dumb enough to ignore this very popular RPG series for the Dreamcast. After a while those rumors subsided, but gamers still believed that PS would make it's way onto DC.

"Well let us be the first to get the Phantasy Star rumor mill up and running once again. A source close to the Japanese press indicates that Sega will indeed bring the sequel to their franchise Role-Playing game to the Dreamcast. Supposedly, the games is still in it's early planning stages. Also, Sega has a budget of just around 100 million Yen invested in the development and publishing of Phantasy Star V. Just as they did with Sonic Adventure, Sega plans to create a near-perfect RPG to steal top-billing away from the continuing Final Fantasy series. We want to stress that this is informed speculation coming from the Japanese gaming press and not any type of confirmation from Sega of Japan themselves. We will keep in touch with SOJ and if we do get official confirmation on Phantasy Star V we will of course let you know."

CNET's Gamecenter.com reports that Sega will preview the next PS game for their upcoming 'Dreamcast' system the night before this year's Electronics Entertainment Expo.

Well, it seems that whatever the platform of Phantasy Star V, the Phantasy Star Collection compilation CD for the Saturn will definitely not be coming to the United States, because Sega has officialy 'dropped' the Saturn here. See the story. So, barring a miracle, the only way for Americans to play the compilation will be to get the import version, which is currently scheduled to come out some time in April at last report.

From darksephiroth@hotmail.com Wed Dec 31 19:14:40 1997
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 02:25:32 -0800
From: Sephiroth 
To: jmaxlow@cnu.edu
Subject: Phantasy Star Five

hello,

 Just thought I'd let you know, I learned from an inside source (an
employee of SoJ-from AM2 I spoke with at Siggraph '97, he had mentioned
Burning Rangers then to, long before Saturn World even mentioned it.)
the Phantasy Star design team (Phoenix Rie and crew) are still in the
planning stages for Phantasy Star V,  and that heads SoJ has told them
that they should learn to develop it for the new 64-Bit Sega system that
is schelduled to be released in late Spring or Summer 1998 (the infamous
new "Dural/Blacbelt/Dragon/Katana" system-real name not officially
announced...) or code it for Saturn and have it fininshed by Feb. or
March '98 or it will be shelved until a newer vers. for the 64-Bit
system can be funded and developed.  Just thought you'd like to know.

Sephiroth

This text is from Jimmy Jaw's GameArts Paradise page:

SEGA announced that more than ten SEGA ages series are going onto Saturn soon. These aged games are from 1979~1996. Sure, Phantasy Star series are on the list. PS 1~4 will go onto Saturn soon.Besides, POWER DRIFT, ZINJA PRINCESS etc , which are famous SEGA titles, are also on the list, too. Rumors had it that SEGA re-release PS series for the preparation of PS5.

- - - - -

Hey. This was posted on the newsgroup. The author claims the info comes from an interview with "Phoenix Rie," so I thought you might want to see it.

<< From:	natashastorm 
Date:	Tue, 10 Jun 1997 04:55:58 -0700

>From Sega of Japan's Phantasy Star R&D; Team(creators of PS1,PS2,PS4
Original versions.....
The Sega Saturn Phantasy Star will feature:
hi-res CGI graphic elements, Sprite-based graphic elements, hi-res
Real-Time 3-D polygon rendered dungeons, new characters(two charcters
from a previous PS games),3/4 perspective battle mode with smoothly
animated player characters and enemies, story:possilbly side story or
prequel,new music, animation cut-scenes....release in spring or summer
1998. Now I want to set the record straight, every PS fan in America
should know that Sega of America *trashed* each PS game in the
translation(dumbing down dialogue,changing the name of nearly
everything,place, and person in each PS game, not to mention all the
dumb typos and character name changes.
PS1 character's original names:
Alis------Alisa  (fem)
Myau------Miyau  (fem,Palma-type bobcat)
Odin------Tiron(tye-rhon)(male)
Noah------Lutz(lootz)(male)
PSII
Rolf------Ursis
Rudo------Rudger
Anna------Amia
Amy-------Annu
Shir------Silka
Hugh------Huey
Kain------Kaynz
PS3 (well, the REAL PS Design team didn't make this one,it was more of
an alternate universe-sidestory PS game and not really a part of the
main PS universe,so I won't go into what all those characters original
names)
Phantasy Star:The End of the Millennium (not PSIV, it is actually a
sequel to PSII NOT PSIII!)
PS:TEOTM          Original names
Chaz Ashley-------Rudy Ashureh
Alys---------------Lyla Brawngwen
Rune Walsh---------Thray Volsh  
Hahn--------------(same)
Gryz---------------Pike
Demi---------------Frena(frey-na)
Wren---------------Forren(four-rehn) This character IS NOT the "Wren"
cyborg in PS3 but a totally different cyborg!{--Yoshibon}
Kyra---------------Cess Tianee(seyss teeahnee)
Raja---------------(same)
                                                    -Phoenix Rie >>

<< From:	sephiroth 
Date:	Tue, 10 Jun 1997 05:14:48 -0700

Last message posted by Sephiroth NOT Natasha Storm(my irreverent cousin)
info obtained from a recent interview ("SaturnFan magazine"-Japan)with
the Creators of the Phantasy Star series and universe(NOT PSIII)......
>>

Mike.

According to Ultra Game Players and Saturn World, Sega has confirmed that a PS Saturn game is coming... to Japan, at least. No comment was made on a port to America, or any kind of release date.

- - - - -

According to an IGN Saturnworld Editor, there IS a new Phantasy Star project in development, as well as some form of compilation or re-release package, planned for the Saturn. These projects are said to be arriving no earlier than 1998. Although these are still rumors, the hope for a new PS game lives on...

- - - - -

Well, unfortunately, there was absolutely no word on Phantasy Earth at E3 in Los Angeles (May 16-18, 1996.) While this is not completely discouraging, since it is likely to be introduced at a Japanese show, it would have been nice to at least get some kind of word on how complete the game is. Oh well.

- - - - -

According to the irc session held jointly by IGOnline and Sega representatives on Monday, February 26, 1996, there are, (ahem) "Right now, no official Phantasy Star titles in progress except Phantasy Earth, which has no US date."

This is both good and bad. First, it finally confirms rumors that a PE game IS being developed; however, it also suggests that there may AGAIN be a dispute as to whether or not the title will eventually be released in the US. All I can hope is that Sega of America continues their tradition of porting this series over. One would think that ample sales (and stunning reviews) of PSIV would be enough proof that there is a worthy market over here, but...