Phantasy Star Online 2 will be free-to-play

Free-to-play? I mourn for the future of the Challenge Missions.

FREE TO PLAY!? YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAA-oh, micro transactions...sneaky.

mmm,so this one is a pay to win..shame Sega, i remember the 1st one on the dreamcast,good times..

@nate1222 The gameplay is certainly different in PSO than in the Sega games, but there are a few similarities as far as the visual direction and the names of some items. You aren't replaced by a clone of yourself if you die, and I don't think the games are really set on any of the same planets as the originals, but there may be a few nods to those games that someone such as yourself could appreciate. It's kind of like comparing the first couple of Final Fantasy games to the newer ones. The games are a lot different these days, especially post-FFX, but the series will still retain some of its classic elements. So idk if you'd like it, since PSO is pretty different from PS, but it's still a really good spin-off of the PS series and one of those MMOs that stand out because of the things it does differently.

I enjoyed PSO Blue Burst and PSU, so I'm interested in this if it comes out for the PC in the West. I don't mean to make the game sound like more than it actually is, but I had a couple of my funnest gaming moments playing Phantasy Star MMOs. It's just a fun series of games. @justplainlucas I've been seeing a lot of people saying this lately, and I partly agree with it. ...But, if people pay for items that anyone can get later on, and you work and get there and catch up to those people, I don't see what the big deal is. Most of the MMO players I've seen who are really into MMOs spend the majority of the game at endgame levels anyway. Something like this would only hurt someone like me, who only ever made it to level 40-something in WOW, for example. But I don't care anyway since other people usually are higher level than me.

Free-to-play just doesn't work. It gives unfair disadvantages to people who aren't willing to pay for items that take time to earn in the game. Honestly, I'd much rather see monthly fees than free-to-play models. At least with monthly fees it creates a level playing field...

Guild wars has a decent free to play system. The game, itself, costs money to buy, but there is no monthly fee. They do have microtransactions, but none of that stuff is esential to the game.

I've never paid to play online because I'll never played online...

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Coming from someone that's logged a little over 800 hours into PSO over it's various incarnations, I have to say I'm passing this up. Free to play is NEVER a good thing, and God knows they won't have offline/local multiplayer included. This is just a cash-grab by Sega, and one that I heartily disapprove of.

PC VITA IP AND come on at least put it on ps3 sega jeez i did pay 10$ for psu every mouth

This game can't come quick enough. I'm still playing quite a bit of BB via Schtserv and while I'll always love it, I want some fresh stuff to do. I can only go on for so long with the old, time for the new!

@Chozn275: "I really enjoyed PSO 1 for the Dreamcast but didn't get too far into it since I was younger at the time and didn't have a credit card to pay for the games subscription, plus at the time I thought it was a stupid concept of subscription based gaming..." Phantasy Star Online for Dreamcast was free to play. It wasn't until Version 2 that SEGA introduced an online payment system ($15 billed in 3 month increments).

@King-gamer Well this is how F2P has been profitable over the years Take LOL for example...it has somewhere 30 millions of players and lots of champions and skins to them , at least a quarter of those spend real life money in the game I'm not saying it's a bad game...hell even I play it and spent like 16 bucks in it

Hope the PC version won't be stripped down because of the hand held versions...

Free 2 Mag. I'm in.

it should also be for the 3DS. Don't leave the 3DS out or you're a racist.....

I want a windows phone version with achievements!

If this is anywhere near as good as PSO episodes 1,2,3,and 4 was, then SEGA can have all the money they want from me. I still play PSO, and in all these years no one has even come close to creating an MMO that can remotely compare to PSO. Nearing 40 different characters across all platforms, and over 8000 hours of total play. I really hope that PSO2 can capture the same magic as the original.

that seems like it will be cool for mobiles.

PSO ver 1+2 was one of the best online experiences for me up to date.I played it for years(later on xbox and game cube). Now i have to read that PSO 2 is not console anymore :( I will not upgrade my PC for it,i will not buy a Vita(no connect to TV unlike my PSP),i will not buy a portable mobile phone device thingy...i want big screen PSO 2.

:D

Micro Transactions seem to be the new model for MMOs these days.... "Hey It's free to play!!! But wait, see this shiny armor? It costs 5 REAL LIFE Dollars!!" "Lazy to level?? No worries! 20 bucks and we will max level your character instantly!" "Wait you got suspended for trolling chat?? 30 bucks and we will unban you now!"

I really enjoyed PSO 1 for the Dreamcast but didn't get too far into it since I was younger at the time and didn't have a credit card to pay for the games subscription, plus at the time I thought it was a stupid concept of subscription based gaming.... then I played WoW lol, but what little time I did have with the game was very good, it felt like a Star Wars vs Diablo crossover. BRING IT ON!

They better release this for the Gamecube with a LAN adapter too :x

@iPostMaReviews How about no. And I know quite a bit about F2P and it's rarely a good thing.

Huh, this is the first time I've heard about PSO2. Cool. :P

I remember sinking tons of time into the original on Xbox. It's the only MMO-style game I have enjoyed. My buddy and I had one match where we were followed around by a kid who sounded like one of Uncle Scrooge's nephews, constantly asking if anyone had a Gobooma's claw... We had a good laugh, and he accepted all the Ducktales-related comments we made.

@Tripwolf How about keeping your trap shut when you clearly don't know a single thing about PSO?

@FriendBear US release is all but confirmed already. TBA 2013.

Man i really dont know if this is a good or bad thing. PSO is mad fun but has never been a game that could justify a monthly fee imo so this is sounds great but then at the same time ive also had really bad experiences with F2P. In many it might as well be paid with the amount of money you have to get anything halfway decent. Which of course causes pay to win. Hopefully they find a good balance like say LOL maybe.

@Tripwolf Somebody don't have any clue about PSO at all. Anyway thanks Gamespot for finally reporting this.It only took you a couple months.I have known for quite a while. Then again you do anything you can to NOT keep up on tab on Vita news.I have had to go to other sites to learn new info. Foxspot needs to seriously tone that crap down.

OMG, I miss the weeks I spent playing PSO with my friends years ago. This brings back many great memories....(including that time someone used a server hack and put the dragon boss in the lobby rofl). I am so downloading this when it comes out.

"According to Famitsu, the MMORPG will be using an item transaction system, so players will need to pay money for items or certain benefits to speed up level-grinding" Pass.....-_-

well, i might try it.

Dude...sign me UP.

An MMO on PC that's free to play with the same servers as the Vita version??? Oh man, this is just striking ALL the right chords!!!

AWESOME haha Man I played so much PSO on Dreamcast and Xbox.

@FriendBear Oh GOD, YES!!!!!

Lets hope for a US release too; this will be epic!

what's the catch?

I have to admit, my jaw just dropped when I read this. As a longtime fan of PSO, this seems like a dream come true. And I think it's great that it's being expanded to other platforms too (though I wish PS3 was thrown in there). Here's hoping that this game doesn't get drawn into pay to win hell, and ends up being just as epic as the original.

"Series producer Sakai Satoshi mentioned that both the PC and PS Vita versions would be played on the same server, meaning that players can use the same character from one platform onto the other." Wrong. There is NO guarantee cross-platform play will be in the final product. "PC/Vita Compatibility - The current plan is to allow PC and Vita players to play together. However, there is a chance that the PC and Vita players maybe separated depending on early testing results."

This is going to end up more expensive than the $14.99 a month fee...

I was a HUGE fan of PSO for the Dreamcast. However this game is just going to be another Free to Play / Pay to Win MMO. Looks like another game destined to fail.

"The last time gamers heard news about Phantasy Star Online 2 was back at the Tokyo Game Show 2011." Not even CLOSE. YOU were not following the news, difference :P Anyway, since the game is on VITA as well, Cash Shop will probably sell unimportant stuff like apparel and EXP boosts. Bring it on, PSO2 !

@tripwolf I totally saw that coming hehe

@Tripwolf x-D I know it's asking a lot, but let's hope for the best !

F2P? Does that mean buying character stats, levels, gear, mounts and everything else? Pass.

I'm interested in the Android and PC versions. I've been a fan of the Phantasy Star series since the Sega Genesis (1990s). Though, I've never played any of the online Phantasy Star games, despite having owned a Dreamcast.