You wanted a time sink during this pandemic? You got it

I’ve been waiting for this moment for years. Roughly eight years to be exact.

That’s how long I’ve been coveringPhantasy Star Online 2, when it was first released in Japan on PC. Over time Sega rolled out the launch to the PlayStation Vita (and took it back), the PS4 and Nintendo Switch, but not in the west.I even tracked that PS4 edition down in Japan at TGSto play it. As someone who was absolutely mesmerized by the American launch ofPhantasy Star Onlineon the Dreamcast in 2001,I pretty much willed the westward release of the sequel into existencewithmy constant insistence: I’ll take most of the credit.

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That moment I’ve been waiting all this time for: the official launch ofPhantasy Star Online 2in the west. That day istodaymy friends, as the game is rolling out now on Xbox One following theextended open beta period. But that’s not all: Sega also dropped another bit of info on us.

As we learned last year, those errant “PC” notations for the game’s advertising back in 2019 weren’t misnomers. Sega confirmed today thatPSO2will also arrive on PC in “late May, exclusively on the Microsoft Store.” Yes folks, cross-play is fully confirmed for that launch: not a further-out update. All of the ducks are in a row for this one,but that exclusivity won’t last forever.

Xbox documentary

Sega has a bunch of offers going on for the Xbox One launch, by the way. “Every day” from April 15-23, you’ll earn an extra log-in bonus, and everyone who joins an alliance with four members or more “before April 28” will net themselves an SG20 Ticket.

The “Cunning Black Winged Vanguard” and “The False Champion”urgent questsstart today, andQunawill be serenading folks with her concerts on the weekend. We’re also launching directly into a seasonal event, with cherry blossoms adorning the ARK player hub. As a reminder, region lockingis not planned at the moment,English/Japanese dual audio is inandmouse and keyboard support is a go.

Microsoft and Bethesda recap

You can grab the gamehere on the Xbox Store. I took long enough!

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