SEGA News

Don’t Forget: Phantasy Star Online 2 releases to Windows 10 PC in North America

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Phantasy Star Online 2 has been available on the Xbox One for a few months in North America, but very soon the game will also be hitting Windows 10 PC. How soon? The release date is set for May 27 at around 5 AM PDT, after scheduled server maintenance, and you can download the game today, May 26, at 11 PM PDT.

The game will feature crossplay with Xbox One players, so there will already be a sizable community already enjoying the game. Want more? Phantasy Star Online 2 is a Play Anywhere title that features cross-platform play and progress. Xbox One players can keep their progress on Windows 10 PCs by accessing the game using the same Microsoft Live ID used to play on Xbox One.

There are a number of special events and item giveaways planned, so check out the PSO2 blog for all the details on how to obtain the goodies. See you online!

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Wayô Records releasing Grandia Memorial soundtrack on CD, Vinyl and Music Box; including ‘Saturn Marble Green’ Edition

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It looks like Wayô Records has added another fan favorite JRPG soundtrack to their arsenal, Grandia. Last time we covered their limited release of the Skies of Arcadia soundtrack. Just like their pervious release, there will be a few limited edition versions including the really cool ‘Saturn Marble Green’ Edition which has the green marble look of the ‘SEGA Saturn’ release of Grandia. Problem? Its only limited to 500 units!

Here are the versions you can buy:

But if you are a big spender and all these versions are too cheap, you can get the ultimate ‘Grandia Music Box’:

“This collectible Grandia Music Box, arranged by Noriyuki Iwadare himself is an unique artifact of pure nostalgia that will revive your adventurer memories from the Edge of the World!”

This Grandia Music Box will put you back 252,00 € tax incl.(USD: 274.60). Of course Wayô Records has world wide shipping.

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SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC releasing internationally on May 28th

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Get ready shmup fanatics, as the classic Thunder Force is back again with the arcade version of Thunder Force III, Thunder Force AC, with this SEGA AGES release. SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC will be available on the Nintendo Switch eShop, for $7.99 and equivalent, in all regions.

In Thunder Force AC, you take on the role of piloting the FIRE LEO-03 “Styx” through 5 different planets and eventually the ORN headquarters, blasting anything that gets in your way with an assortment of weapons that have different properties. While similar to Thunder Force III, there are several differences to still make this a worthwhile playthrough, including audio improvement due to the SEGA System C2 hardware, and rearrangements of enemy and weapon layouts. SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC will also come with several additions, such as the ability to play as four different ships, including the ship Fire LEO-04 “Rynex” from Thunder Force IV, and a Kids Mode for novices who want to play the game without getting a weapon deduction punish from dying.

[Source: Official Website / Twitter]

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Limited Run Games adds Streets of Rage 4 soundtrack CD to existing orders

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There has been a bit of a kerfuffle going on with the physical release of Streets of Rage 4. We haven’t been covering it, but with a recent update from Limited Run Games I thought it was worth writing about. In March, Limited Run Games announced physical editions of Streets of Rage 4 for North America (with international shipping) in standard, classic and limited collector’s editions. Shortly after the pre-order window closed, Merge Games announced they too would have a North American physical release of the game, at a lower price with its own exclusive bonus items and releasing earlier than the Limited Run Games releases.

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SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC releasing on May 14th in Japan

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We have a release date for SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC. You can  travel across different planets and fight against the ORN Empire this upcoming May 14th, from the Japanese Nintendo Switch eShop for ¥999.

SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC is an arcade remix of the game Thunder Force III. While the general structuring is similar to the original game, there are several differences for this new arcade iteration to mix things up for veteran players, such as enemy and weapon placements being tweaked, some levels being overhauled, and the lack of a stage select. This SEGA AGES iteration also includes extra features, including the ability to play as four different ships with their own properties, and a Kids Mode meant for less experienced players where the player doesn’t lose their weapons upon death.

[Source: Official Website]

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Yakuza: Like a Dragon announced as Xbox Series X launch title, also coming to Xbox One, PS4 and PC

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Announced today, via an Inside Xbox stream, was that Yakuza: Like a Dragon will be releasing to Xbox Series X as a launch title as well as to Xbox One X, Xbox One, Windows 10 PC, Steam and PlayStation 4. The seventh in the mainline Yakuza series, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a new entry point in the series featuring new RPG-like gameplay styles and a new protagonist. It was also announced today that the game will see a physical Day One Edition, and listings have started to appear at various retailers, however pricing, a release date and content of the Day One edition will be revealed at a later date.

Also announced is that Yakuza: Like a Dragon will support Xbox Series X Smart Delivery, allowing players to buy the game once and play it on Xbox One or Xbox Series X with cross-save functionality. We’ll share more details as we learn more!

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Steam Database leak suggests Yakuza: Like a Dragon is coming to Steam

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Steam Database, a tool that tracks down applications and packages on Steam has picked up a recent update for an application of Yakuza: Like a Dragon (aka Yakuza 7), the latest installment in the Yakuza series as of this writing. While it is unusual for Yakuza 6 to still not be available on Steam, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is possibly next in line since it has key differences that separate it from past installments. Mainly because it focuses on a new character Ichiban Kasuga and adapts a turn based battle style inspired by the Dragon Quest games (which funnily enough is referenced in-game).

However, SEGA has not officially announced anything about Yakuza: Like a Dragon coming to Steam at this time, and there is no page officially uploaded. It’s also unknown what features the game will support with a PC release, but it will likely support higher resolutions and frame rates, similar to past Yakuza games released on Steam.

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Unreleased ‘Breach’ port for SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive has been unearthed

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The site GamingAlexandria has posted some assets from the unreleased SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive port of Breach. This whole project was compiled and preserved by David Ashley.

Thankfully if you wanted to try out the beta port of ‘Breach’ on your original hardware, you can download the rom and assets here. If you didn’t know Breach was the first installment of a trilogy of sci-fi strategy games developed by Omnitrend Software who are mainly known for their 1983 text adventure game ‘Universe’. Lots of people would describe Breach as a early version of X-Com. You can read more about this ports development via GamingAlexandria’s in-depth post. According to our sister site, SEGA Retro, the game was last seen again at Winter CES 1993.

 

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13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim physical & digital sales reaches 130,000 units in Japan

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13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is one of the games that I have been looking forward to since it was announced way back in TGS 2015, since it was being developed by Vanillaware ( Odin Sphere, Dragon’s Crown and Muramasa: The Demon Blade). The game has been postponed and delayed. When it was first announced there was two versions: PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita; since then the Vita version has been cancelled. The game came out (with whispers considering how acclaimed the studio is) in Japan November 28, 2019 and since then Atlus Japan has confirmed the game has sold 130,000 units.

That means that it sold only 30,000 units in the last four months considering that Vanillaware confirmed in January that the game had sold 100,000 units. Is this good for the game that has been in the works for such a long time? I couldn’t tell you. As far as a western release, Atlus hasn’t announced a release date yet.

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Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Mega Mix will launch west on May 15 for Nintendo Switch, demo out now

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SEGA has confirmed that the Nintendo Switch game Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Mega Mix will launch May 15th in the west. The company has also confirmed that this title will launch as digital only, at least for now.

SEGA has already opened digital pre-orders for the game which includes two versions: The base game for $39.99 (101 Songs) and a Mega Pack for $59.99 which includes six downloadable content packs. Five of the six downloadable packs have already been released in Japan. But that isn’t all, SEGA has confirmed that if you pre-order the game you will also get early access to the “Theme Song DLC Pack” which includes playable versions of previous Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA theme songs like (will be free to all users after June 12th):

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M2’s Shoot ‘Em Up Game Ikusaba is launching this fall in Japanese arcades

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During the live stream of the Famitsu Dengeki Awards in Japan, developer M2 (SEGA Ages, 3D Classics Collection) announced that their previously announced shoot ’em up game ‘Ikusaba’ will be heading to arcades this fall. During the event M2 director Naoki Horii showed off the game’s first two stages, suggesting those stages are nearly done.

M2 also discussed some of the system, including that the game will have four different ships, with different pilots. Instead of dying and losing a life, in this game you will die and move on to the next character until you run out. As we covered this game last time, Ikusaba is a temporary title. The game was also set to get a demo at a Japanese event this month but due to the virus pandemic all events have been withheld but the game is still set for release this fall. This game is suppose to be added via SEGA’s ALL.Net P-ras MULTI Version 3 (APM3) arcades.

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SEGA AGES G-LOC Air Battle releasing on April 30th in western territories

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SEGA AGES G-LOC Air Battle has a release date for western territories. For those in North America and European regions, you’ll be able to take to the skies on April 30th, available on the Nintendo Switch eShop for $7.99 and equivalent.

In this spin-off of the popular arcade game After Burner, you once again pilot a fighter jet called the A8M5 Thunderfox “Zeek”, soaring through the landscape blasting down anything in your path with bullets and missiles. The key difference is the emphasis on switching between a first-person and third-person perspective, influencing how you control and aim with the jet. The SEGA AGES release will also include new features, such as a AGES Mode which adds more enemies, more missiles, and an improved lock on system, and a special border that mimics the swaying of the original arcade cabinet.

[Source: Official Website / Twitter]

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SEGA to shut down SEGA Heroes servers on May 21st

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SEGA and Demiurge’s SEGA Heroes mobile game is one of the few titles I pop in everyday to collect all my rewards so I could fill out my SEGA roster. Its not ground breaking but the diversity of SEGA IPs really got me into it. Sadly, I will have to say goodbye to this mobile title as Demiurge studio has now become independent from SEGA. SEGA had previously worked with Demiurge on the Aliens: Colonial Marines DLC Bughunt, the same year they made their smash mobile title ‘Marvel Puzzle Quest‘ in 2013. After that, SEGA stepped in to purchase the studio.

Demiurge and SEGA’s games weren’t all hits either, the first title that the studio brought out to mobile was Puzzle & Glory in 2015, which got a soft launch in Canada and then a year later they closed the game down. Then in 2017 came the mobile title known as Crazy Taxi Gazillionaire that was then changed into Crazy Taxi Tycoon which was a top-down endless business management simulator and idle clicker game.

Now the last game they did was SEGA Heroes. But why has Demiurge studios bought the studio back from SEGA and want to go independent? According to this interview with the studios co-founder, they want to get out of the mobile market and work on supporting AAA studios like they did before they made Marvel Puzzle Quest. If you look at their history of games they worked on (which dates back to 2004), they worked on console games.

SEGA has also made a notice about the game closing, you can read that here.

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SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC coming soon, more information revealed

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After Thunder Force III appeared previously in the SEGA 3D series on 3DS and the SEGA Genesis Mini, it once again returns, but with a bit of a twist. Indeed, Thunder Force AC is essentially an arcade version of the original Thunder Force III, using the SEGA System C2 arcade board also used for games such as Puyo Puyo and Puzzle & Action: Ichidant-R. But don’t be fooled, as the game mixes up the level design enough that it’s still worth a playthrough even if you’ve played the Mega Drive original, and also benefits from improved audio samples.

The SEGA AGES release adds several new features, most notably the selection of different ships. FIRE LEO-03 STYX being the default ship, FIRE LEO-03 STYX Mass Product being a revamped version of the original ship that was included in Thunder Force Gold Pack 2, FIRE LEO-04 RYNEX from Thunder Force IV, and FIRE LEO-04 RYNEX with the Thunder Sword. Like it’s predecessor SEGA AGES Thunder Force IV, there will also be a Kids Mode that increases the power of your attacks and doesn’t penalize you by stripping away your weapons upon death, ideal for more novice players.

It will be available at a price of ¥999 for the Japanese Nintendo Switch eShop, but with no announced date yet.

[Source: Official Website]

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Phantasy Star Online 2 PC release window revealed, Xbox One cross-play confirmed

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Phantasy Star Online 2 has had its Xbox One open beta going on for almost a month, and now we have news of when PC players can expect to start playing the western localization of the game. PSO2 is set for a North American PC launch of “late May” 2020, exclusively on the Microsoft Store. It has also been confirmed that there will be cross-play between Xbox One and PC players on day one of the PC release.

No information has been given about a Steam release, but once we hear something we’ll be sure to news it!

[Source: Forbes]

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