A new Phantasy Star Online 2 video came out this weekend to clarify what their new title is. In contrast to expectations, New Genesis is a new standalone game.
Phantasy Star Online 2 will have New Genesis as a separate free to play title. In the updated video, in-trailer text clarifies that the game will be set 1000 years after PSO2. It will carry over some progress in some areas, but XP and currency will stay separate.
Sega shows off New Genesis trailer
In Sega’s announcement trailer, PSO2 showed off New Genesis. The game seems to be a wide improvement in the current title too. It shows superbly improved visual design, more stellar gameplay, and better menus.
PSO2 players showed excitement over this, considering the game is over eight-years-old now. The original game is showing its age, as it came out in Japan in 2012. New Genesis came out putting people’s hopes up.
Many believed the game was an expansion or a graphics patch. It doesn’t help that Sega was very vague about it in their initial announcement. With Final Fantasy 14 building itself up with Reflections in Crystal, players expected similar treatment.
Sega posted an extended trailer for the announcement of New Genesis. What’s curious are the additional gameplay scenes and the accompanying text. It makes a few of the game’s pertinent details clear.
New Genesis will not carry over player progress
Phantasy Star Online 2 will have New Genesis as a standalone, free to play the game. It uses a brand new graphics engine in-charge of what the game looks like now. The title will also take place 1000 years after the original PSO2.
Sega promises both gameplay and graphical improvements from the original game. Characters made in the original are also compatible with the ones in New Genesis. What makes the new title curious is the player data migration.
Some data will carry over, including weapons, items, and magic. They might work differently within the game, but they will show as their comparable items. The stuff that matters, however, will not come with the migration.
Player progress, experience points, currency, and skills will be separate for both games. They are locked to their respective versions too, which means PSO2 will stay online. This announcement comes only a few months after PSO2 comes out to the West.
Phantasy Star Online 2 will have New Genesis available some time in 2021. In the meantime, fans of the game can play the original. MMORPG fans can also give Final Fantasy 14 a look, which will have a superb patch on the way.
Images courtesy of Sega/Youtube Screenshot