The Japanese MMORPG Phantasy Star Online 2 is set to come to PlayStation 4, and an expansion has also been announced. However, Sega remains silent about a planned Western port.
Phantasy Star Online 2 is the MMORPG for those who find “Final Fantasy XIV” way too Western and want the full Japan experience. This can be seen in the new trailer for a planned expansion, which gives an insight into how the game works:
In Japan, the game will be released on April 20 on PlayStation 4 and will also receive a closed beta beforehand. Sega announced some time ago that it is bringing Phantasy Star Online 2 to the West. However, since then the promise has neither been retracted nor any steps taken to implement it. PSO 2 launched in Japan in 2012, was supposed to come out in the USA in 2013, and in September 2014 it was said that the plan was still in place, there would be delays, they were working on the Western port, and would get in touch as soon as they had something to say.
Currently, PSO 2 is running in an English version in Southeast Asia, but it is generally considered to be difficult. Hardcore fans have long found ways to play on the Japanese servers using tools and tricks. There is a comprehensive guide on how Western players can participate in Phantasy Star Online 2, available on the game’s reddit subforum.
