Microids inks deal with Forever Entertainment to physically publish Panzer Dragoon and The House of the Dead Remakes

Publisher Microids has announced a new distribution agreement with Forever Entertainment to physically publish Panzer Dragoon and The House of the Dead remakes. Microids’ biggest release would be Oddworld Soulstorm. 

This comes off Forever Entertainment inking a deal to make games for Square-Enix and a distribution deal with Nintendo Japan.

This is great for Forever Entertainment, but yet again I have to question SEGA’s decision not to publish their own IPs, even if Forever Entertainment is developing them. Its so bizarre.

Forever Entertainment, developer behind Panzer Dragoon Remake enters publishing deal with Nintendo


Forever Entertainment who has recently released the first Panzer Dragoon Remake (working on the sequel) and are currently working on The House of the Dead Remake, has announced that they have signed a publishing deal with Nintendo.

“The board of Forever Entertainment S.A. (FE) is informing of having signed a material agreement between FE and Nintendo Co. Ltd (Nintendo) of Japan.

On the basis of the agreement FE will receive a significant financial backing from Nintendo to fulfil a publishing agreement, the purpose of which is to release several titles from FE release schedule on Nintendo Switch.

The exact release date of each individual titles will be announced in separate reports.”

We really don’t know what the deal is or if it will effect upcoming releases like The House of the Dead Remake, which as of today is only announced for Nintendo Switch. I think the saddest part is that SEGA didn’t sign a publishing deal with a developer that is literally reviving their older franchises. What’s up with that? Could they be reviving Nintendo franchises in the future? This isn’t new as the developer has also signed a contract with Square-Enix to revive titles.

[Via: ResetEra]

Panzer Dragoon II Zwei: Remake to Launch This Year

Last  year was the launch of the first Panzer Dragoon: Remake. While the game had issues when it first launched on Nintendo Switch, publisher Forever Entertainment actually went in and fixed the game through updates. Later we got PlayStation, Xbox and PC versions with higher resolutions.

Now the Panzer Dragoon: Remake twitter account has confirmed that Panzer Dragoon II Zwei: Remake is coming this year:

Forever Entertainment is also doing a remake of House of the Dead 1 & 2, but we still haven’t gotten updates on that. I guess one game at a time.

Panzer Dragoon: Remake Out Now on PlayStation 4 and PC

Forever Entertainment’s Panzer Dragoon: Remake is now available on the PlayStation 4! Released in 2019 to the Nintendo Switch, the game is now seeing a wider release on PS4 and PC (Steam currently has it for 10% off). Currently, the game is digital only on those platforms and is priced at $24.99. Fingers crossed we see a release from Limited Run Games.

A new, remade version of the Panzer Dragoon game – true to the original, with improved graphics and controls, that suit modern gaming standards!
On a far, lone planet, you encounter two dragons awaken from the ancient times. Armed with a deadly gun from the past, and the guidance of your armored blue dragon, you must fulfill your destiny and keep the Prototype Dragon from reaching the Tower or die trying.

Key Features
– Pilot through seven unbelievably realistic levels ranging from tropical blue ocean cities to intricate subterranean ruins.
– Fight the Prototype Dragon who appears together with evil giant dragonflies, frightening man-sized wasps, giant sandworms, and lethal flying battleships.
– Attack approaching from all sides enemies quickly and without mercy, with improved 360-degree controls and lock-on targeting.

Panzer Dragoon: Remake heading to PS4, PC, and Xbox One by end of year, also coming to next gen consoles


It looks like Zbigniew Dębicki, CEO of Forever Entertainment, the company that has created the Panzer Dragoon: Remake and will be doing The House of the Dead remakes sooner than later, has spoken about the game coming not only to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One; but also next generation consoles like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. In a newly translated chat with the CEO by Panzer Dragoon World, the plan is to release the PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One by the end of the year:

According to the CEO, Panzer Dragoon: Remake is set to be released on other platforms like PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC (non-Stadia version) by the end of the year, but we will also be getting a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions later down the line. I can already hear Limited Run Games salivating at all the different releases (oh, hi Josh). We shall see, Panzer Dragoon: Remake launched on March 10, 2020 on Nintendo Switch.

Panzer Dragoon: Remake update v.1.3 released

Since the game’s surprise launch, Panzer Dragoon: Remake has been keeping aloft with various update to add new content and fix standing issues. The Saori Kobayashi soundtrack was even a post-launch addition! MegaPixel and Forever Entertainment have been proactive about addressing player feedback, culminating in today’s 1.3 update. This update has been teased for a while now, and surprise dropped for Nintendo Switch this morning. The update features several improvements to controls, as well as to the Shadow Menu (now Pandora’s Box), sound design, and adds a few new control features and a sixty frames per second mode.

I tested the update a bit, and it’s far more hit than miss than prior updates or the game’s release. The 60FPS mode runs and feels fantastic without sacrificing everything that made the game look so good in the first place. I did notice a rendering error at one point, but that was the only issue. The sound design is also MUCH improved over either previous iteration. The game now has what I would classify as just good sound design and mixing! Pandora’s Box is mostly unchanged, but there are a couple new welcome options. As well, the controls feel much tighter, though they do still keep it faithfully stiff in areas. The motion controls are a letdown, too stiff to do anything with, but the HD Rumble is pretty nice. It’s nice to see points from my original review addressed, and I have hope that if more updates come, they’ll only make the game better.

For full patch notes from the update, read below.

Panzer Dragoon: Remake Review – A Wing in the Right Direction (Nintendo Switch)

Review code provided by Forever Entertainment.

Remakes are a common sight in the modern age. I won’t spiel too long about their worth, or their reason for being, but I will put a fine point on one aspect of their existence: what they bring to the original game. A remake can do a lot of things, both good and bad, and the discussion for how faithful a remake should be is a relevant one in the face of games that barely do more than make new art and graphical assets being the most successful remakes on the market. A good remake, in my opinion, is one that injects life into an old idea while keeping sight of what made the idea special in the first place. Or, at the very least, doing something so radically different with the original idea it becomes special in its own right.

Enter Panzer Dragoon: Remake. The original was a seminal 1995 release that ushered the SEGA Saturn into American and European homes with aplomb, and delighted Japanese Saturn owners a year into its life. It was a simple game of arcade sensibility with RPG detail. It was a 3D tour-de-force when polygons were a rarity at home. An on-rails action shooter with a three hundred and sixty degree innovation and a world like nothing else at the time. It’s a prime candidate for a remake, old and unique enough that it could stand improvements without becoming part of the crowd. Does the remake we have now succeed, though? Well…

Panzer Dragoon Limited Run Games pre-orders go live tomorrow, ‘Classic Edition’ includes SEGA Saturn tall case

The brand new, Panzer Dragoon remake will get a physical version thanks to Limited Run Games which will have two versions, one being a regular version for $39.99 and the ‘Classic Edition’ which comes with a SEGA Saturn replica case for $59.99. While its cool to get these physical editions, its a bit sad that the ‘Classic Edition’ isn’t coming with more goodies outside of a replica case. Maybe Limited Run Games has spoiled me in the past but no artwork? Poster? Art Book?

According to Limited Run Games, both the regular and Classic Edition will be open pre-orders until April 24th, meaning you don’t have to prey that you can get a copy and gives you time to free up cash to order.

Panzer Dragoon Remake now available on the Nintendo Switch

A bit of an unexpected drop! As revealed in Nintendo’s latest Nintendo Direct Mini, Panzer Dragoon Remake is now available for the Nintendo Switch. The game is available in all regions for $24.99 and equivalent, so far only digitally on the Nintendo Switch eShop. A Steam release is also planned, but it’s still unknown when Panzer Dragoon Remake will release on Steam and possibly other system.

The game itself is a recreation of the original 1995 SEGA Saturn cult classic, as you take on the role of a rider flying an armored dragon through flooded temples and barren deserts. Your objective is to survive and defeat the evil Prototype Dragon and other monsters by using a combination of the rider’s gun and the dragon’s homing laser breath, similar to SEGA’s past arcade games like After Burner.

Panzer Dragoon Music Composer, Saori Kobayashi, returns to compose a rearrange soundtrack for Panzer Dragoon: Remake

Forever Entertainment’s Panzer Dragoon: Remake social media account made an recent announcement with a video message that the series composer, Saori Kobayashi, would be returning to compose an alternative re-arranged soundtrack for the remake with Alex Aniel as the Sound Producer and showcases a preview of the soundtrack.

Players would be able to switch the soundtrack in the game according to the producer of the Panzer Dragoon Remake on Twitter.

Panzar Dragoon: Remake is set for release this Winter 2020 for Nintendo Switch and Steam.

Exclusive: Panzer Dragoon Remake interview with Producer Benjamin Anseaume

For over a year, we’ve been anticipating each bit of word, footage, and image of MegaPixel, Forever Entertainment, TA Publishing, and SEGA’s from the ground up remake of Panzer Dragoon. For those unfamiliar, Panzer Dragoon was an early SEGA Saturn title that gained acclaim for its unique setting, shake-ups in the rail shooter genre, and challenging gameplay. It spawned two more rail shooter sequels and a full role-playing game before being put to rest with the series finale, Panzer Dragoon Orta for the Xbox. For the nearly two decades since, fans have wanted to return to that science fiction fantasy world and see the series brought back with as much aplomb as possible.

Then, at the end of 2018, it was revealed that a little-known French-based publishing company and development house MegaPixel Studio were set to release remakes of Panzer Dragoon, and its sequel, Panzer Dragoon Zwei. Since then, we’ve seen art, we’ve seen gameplay, we’ve seen its due arrival on Switch and Steam, but we still had burning questions. To sate our (and especially my) own curiosity, I reached out to Benjamin Anseaume, producer on the remake project, to ask him several things. Learn about extra game content, the process of getting the game into the developer’s hands, and even get a glimpse at what the original creator of Panzer Dragoon, Yukio Futatsugi, thinks of the new project!

All this and more, after the jump!

Panzer Dragoon Remake coming to PC via Steam

For a while, it’s been confirmed that the remake for Panzer Dragoon would be coming to the Nintendo Switch. However, as confirmed by the official Panzer Dragoon Remake account, Panzer Dragon Remake is also coming to PC via Steam. Not much new information has been revealed, but the official Steam page does confirm the following PC requirements to run this game:

  • OS: Windows 10
  • Processor: Intel i5
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 970 or AMD Radeon R9 290 (equivalent or better)
  • DirectX: Version 10
  • Storage: 8 GB available space
  • Sound Card: Integrated

It also makes mention of a release date of “This Winter”, though with nothing specified.

Panzer Dragoon: Remake getting physical release, probably by Limited Run Games

So earlier today the Panzer Dragoon Remake twitter account announced that there will be a Panzer Dragoon: Remake physical release, all the tweet says is that they will be updating their social media soon on more details. This didn’t stop Limited Run Games from quote tweeting the tweet with those eyes emoji, possibly teasing that they have a deal with Forever Entertainment?

Some fans dislike the idea of Limited Run Games being the sole publisher for the physical version of Panzer Dragoon: Remake because they only print these games for a limited amount of time, if you miss it, you miss it. I personally hope we get a Limited Run Games version, but like other franchises like Wonder Boy: The Dragon Trap and Shenmue III, we also get another ‘not limited’ version by another publisher. That way everyone wins!

What is your thoughts? You buying a physical version of Panzer Dragoon: Remake?

Panzer Dragoon Remake getting physical release, coming out before March 2020

According to the Polish blog Strefain, Forever Entertainment was surprised at how positive a reaction the gameplay of the Panzer Dragoon Remake got at Nintendo’s E3 stage show. The article does mention some good tidbits of information including that the company wants to release a remake (seems they want to be a company known for remakes of classic IPs) every 12 to 18 months. The company has also confirmed that Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei is already in production.

One troubling note within the article is that the developer MegaPixel Studio has said to have a small budget and that they need to sell units from the production to start earning profits, but didn’t say how money units they needed to sell. They did confirm that Panzer Dragoon Remake is suppose to be shipped before March 2020, at least that is the plan. It seems some sites posted it was coming this winter because of a fake pre-order. We also found out that Panzer Dragoon Remake will be getting a physical release. As of right now its only on the Nintendo Switch, but the company didn’t say it was exclusive.

Outside of that it does say that Forever Entertainment is preparing a trailer with fan reactions.

SEGA News Bits: Panzer Dragoon Remake Announced for Nintendo Switch

While we broke the news back in 2018 that Forever Entertainment was developing a Panzer Dragoon Remake, most likely due to the fact that they had nothing to show at the time. But now we are back and we finally got some juicy information to talk about regarding this highly anticipated remake of a SEGA classic. We know its coming to Nintendo Switch and now we got the first glimpse of the in-game graphic. Do we like it or hate it? Let’s watch and find out.

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