Phantasy Star Online 2 delayed into 2012

Japan exclusive as in.. forever? If so, it appears that Sega's hatred of international Phantasy Star fans is finally complete. Not releasing the Phantasy Star Portable 2 DLC and telling fans to download the (free) Japanese DLC? I can do that. Not releasing Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity outside of Japan? It's just an expansion pack, sort of, I can live. Not releasing the outstanding-looking PSO2, a game that will finally convince me to upgrade my PC? Yeah, they hate us.

If this doesn't get localized i will seriously be heartbroken.For years i have only fantasized about a proper PSO sequel.

That is such BS! Localize IT! You have thousands of people on the internet begging you!

also....consolize, lol.

Come on Japan, I know you want me to buy your games. Why won't you let me?

Can you really call it an exclusive before a product reaches a localization stage? I have yet to see confirmation anywhere that it will or won't be localized.

At least they listened to the testers. That's something SE failed to to with FFXIV.

...Shouldn't it be PSO4? I'm pretty sure I have 1 and 2 for the gamecube in one nice, handydandy package.

3 sucked, btw.

Sega historically has never showed a proper respect for their AAA RPG and SRPG franchises or for the legions of fans who love them, which is baffling. PSO is pretty nice and all, but we haven't seen a new traditional story-based Phantasy Star since the Genesis. That's right, since the GENESIS. And now we don't even get the new PSO over here in the West (seriously, Japanese developers think, sadly corectly, that most American gamers only care about FPSes and button-mashing play mechanics).

The Phantasy Star franchise is not alone, either. We've seen no new traditional SRPG Shining Force since SF III for the Saturn (and then the US and Europe only got one of three scenarios). The incredible Dragon Force had to be localized by Working Designs because Sega wouldn't bother. Panzer Dragoon Saga, which many believe to be one of the greatest RPGs ever made, only saw 3,000 official US copies (and those had PAPER SLEEVES inside the case; I know because I was one of the fortunate few who got a copy). Skies of Arcadia, the only game ever to win Game of the Month in Electronic Gaming Monthly twice over a year apart (Dreamcast and then the GameCube version), never saw a sequel despite an outpouring of requests from fans. Sega said "Aha! we knew that RPGs were niche!" after Valkyria Chronicles' initial sales tanked and relegated its two sequels to portable oblivion, but then they had scarcely bothered to promote the game at all prior to launch. And obviously they've ignored passionate pleas to bring a new console version of VC out or even VC3 for the PSP, which they are no longer supporting (they apparently won't even allow another localization dev to do it).

I just cannot understand why Sega doesn't understand what they have in their RPG lineup; it's easily on par or even better than any series Square has ever done (including Final Fantasy). Sure, sales for such games may total in the tens or hundreds of thousands rather than the millions like a "mainstream" FPS or sports title, but that's still tens or hundreds of thousands of gamers with real money and passionate loyalty to these franchises being ignored time and again. From a business standpoint it makes no sense to treat your biggest demographic as your ONLY demographic; RPGs, SRPGs, and Strategy still very much have a place on western consoles, and we want them back, please!

They ran into problems with the breast slider. Fans want even larger breasts. Unfortunately, their hardware limitations can't handle jiggles of that magnitude, which is why they need to improve their servers before a proper release.

Ugh...Sega and their counter-productive ways strike again.

I think my name is a weapon in that game

First is was xenoblade... then it was The last Story............ now this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

when the HELL am I going to enjoy some GOOD JRPGs in THE USA on my wii or pc?

exclusive...
everything will be alright

i say as tears roll down my face

I sure would like to know where Jordan Mallory is getting his info. Nowhere did SEGA announce that Phantasy Star Online 2 is a Japanese Exclusive. August 19, Assistant Producer, Bonkohara, answered the question with, and I quote: "We would like to release the game all over the world, but we have not decided on a schedule." And there are points brought up prior to the media briefing... one of them being Global Servers, which is still not set in stone yet, however, confirmed that it is a possibility.

Curious, what is Joystiq's source for Japanese "Exclusive". To mean, "Oh it's only in Japan right now!" or, "IT WILL NEVER EVER COME OUT HERE. EVER!" because the official Facebook PSO2 page has been saying differently. Dunno if you guys know about that source, but much about the Alpha and release gets posted there.

ALPHA is a Japanese exclusive.
This IS coming to the U.S. in 2012, sometime.

"Question & Answer
by PHANTASY STAR ONLINE 2 on Friday, August 19, 2011 at 5:26am

Q: Is it available PSO2 release in the every country ?

A: We want to release in the all over the world but schedule becomes undecided."
Source : http://www.facebook.com/notes/phantasy-star-online-2/question-answer/196344297096915 - PSO2 official facebook page.

All we can do is wait and keep watching, but it looks like a worldwide release is plausible once they nail down release dates.