Overseas Players No Longer Welcome in Phantasy Star Online 2

[The Wooster]

Overseas Players No Longer Welcome in Phantasy Star Online 2

Phantasy Star Online 2 is a local game for local people.

Today, Sega announced it has updated the terms of use for Phantasy Star Online 2. Access to the game is now restricted to players who reside in Japan; connecting to the servers from overseas, or routing a foreign connection through a Japanese terminal, is liable to make Sega grumpy. Currently, this is merely an update to the legal jargon you have to click through before installing the game, no IP bans or blocks have been issued. It's unclear if Sega intends to enforce the new terms of use rules.

The PC version of PSo2 launched in Japan on July 4th, with a smartphone version to follow this winter. The western release isn't due until next year, but players have been importing the game and logging in from all over the world regardless.

Sega hasn't given its reasons for closing the game's virtual borders. Some suggest it might be a token response to the allegations that foreign hackers were responsible for a series of pranks in which important NPC characters were placed out of reach or behind glass. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.381723-Phantasy-Star-Online-2-Hacked-for-Being-Japan-Only]

The Japanese version of Phantasy Star Universe had a similar section in its terms of service, but no IP bans were ever issued. Even if Sega were to do so this time around, getting around a regional IP ban is trivially easy for anyone with the time and inclination to do so.

Source: My Game News Flash [http://jin115.com/archives/51889980.html] via ANN [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2012-08-08/japanese-phantasy-star-online-2-servers-prohibit-overseas-users]


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[Evil Smurf]

location proxy away! Can I say that without getting a warning?

 

[Scrustle]

Wait, what? I had no idea this game was already out anywhere. I only heard of its existence recently. I thought it was a long way off.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Well that sucks...for people who play that game. I hate region locks personally and it seems like Sega is just shooting themselves in the...uh...big toe maybe by not allowing foreign gamers to import a copy. Do they even know its a foreign prankster who messed with those NPCs? Why aren't they able to just ban THOSE assholes and let everyone else continue on? Anyway, I'm going to get back to JUMP Ultimate Stars...(look it up and weep anime fans)

 

[Stalydan]

Phantasy Star Online 2 is a local game for local people.

A League of Gentlemen reference. I had a strange feeling I would find this here...

OT: It's strange that region locking is used in MMOs considering you'd think the whole point of them would be to get people all around the world connected. Doesn't make a lick of difference to me though but it's sort of sad to see that practice still going.

 

[Toilet]

Sega to Western PSO2 players: "WESTERN PIGGU GO HOME!"

 

[FalloutJack]

You know, in most cases, I respect the Japanese. We hit them hard back in World War II and they picked themselves up nicely, got along with the rest of the world, developed some really cool things...

And then, I have to remember that not all businesses are decent or kind in Japan or anywhere else.

Really, Sega... Phantasy Star use to be something really good, a ground-breaker in the old RPG days. PSO and PSU lack the same flavor, in my own opinion, but I can let it slide because nobody said I had to play. HOWEVER, I do not excuse the action of ruining OTHER people's good times, you ungrateful bastards.

 

[ScruffyMcBalls]

I figure that Sega probably just let foreign players fly under the radar while they weren't big news, but once they got in the headlines decided to take some action just so it seemed they were doing something about it, whether that was in exchange for investor faith or what, I don't know. I doubt this will stop Americans and Europeans playing, or have any big effect. And since the localisation is next year I don't think this really matters. I'll just wait until I can play the game in a language I understand.

Oh, and on a side-note, fuck those hackers, dumbasses.

 

[The White Hunter]

Wait, what? I had no idea this game was already out anywhere. I only heard of its existence recently. I thought it was a long way off.

Same to be honest.

I'd have thought it'd be on consoles too. And out worldwide given that the last one still has a following despite being on a format that's been dead for over a decade (*single, manly, dreamcast shaped tear*).

Sega just don't like money though, that's why Sonic Generations never saw any DLC zones...

 

[Olrod]

I enjoyed the original Phantasy Star Online so much, I even bought a 2nd-hand Dreamcast just so I could play PSO on it.*

I never really got the same vibe with the Phantasy Star Universe series of games, and Phantasy Star Zer0 on the Nintendo DS was okay, but nothing special.

I eagerly await the Australasian release of PSO2.

(*I honestly can't remember how I got into PSO if I didn't already have a Dreamcast. I can only assume I played it at a friend's house and fell in love with it.)

 

[surg3n]

Seems like a case of shutting the gate when the horse has already bolted, or shutting the gate, then deciding to shoot any horses outside the gate, or burn the gate, build a wall instead...

There was a clear security hole, western players found it and messed with SEGA's shit, now SEGA don't want to entertain import players, they all suffer because SEGA's security must be absolute pish.

Seems fairly typical to me, companies get away with the sort of xenophobia that an individual, a citizen, would be ridiculed or even punished for. But who cares, really, it's a JRPG thats trying to be a JMMORPG while restricting the marketplace that could otherwise make it a viable JMMORPG. If this is how Japanese companies react when they have something that 'we' want, imagine what they'll be like if they have something that we need!
This stuff puts me off buying a WiiU, because there's every chance that the best games will suffer this same nonsense. Maybe we need to remember this general xenophobia the next time there's an earthquake and the pleading masses start another charity.

 

[mfeff]

The English client side patch has been worked out, meaning that more people are likely to play from the West using it. This also implies that the encryption for the game has been defeated... it is also mildly buggy (renames certain items) for Japanese players who encounter western players running it. The ToS update simply justifies a kick ban if they choose to get rid of western players using these patches. Looks more like a "be on your best behavior" or your gone update more than anything.

 

[Lunar Templar]

>.>
<.<
and ... still don't care its not out, outside of where ever the hell it is. in fact, if it never came up again I'd forget about it in less then a week

 

[The Great JT]

People still play PSO?

 

[RaikuFA]

Well that sucks...for people who play that game. I hate region locks personally and it seems like Sega is just shooting themselves in the...uh...big toe maybe by not allowing foreign gamers to import a copy. Do they even know its a foreign prankster who messed with those NPCs? Why aren't they able to just ban THOSE assholes and let everyone else continue on? Anyway, I'm going to get back to JUMP Ultimate Stars...(look it up and weep anime fans)

Fucking love JUS.

OT: Seems Segas def gone the way of Capcom now.

 

[robinkom]

I see no reason to get bent out of shape about this, I couldn't read a goddamn thing in the game. I've conceded to waiting for the Western Release of the game. I was in the Japanese Closed and Open Betas and, really, even with a modest fan-made English patch to navigate menus better, there was no point to playing it continually without being able to understand any of the dialog or narrative.

The only disappointment in the Phantasy Star franchise for me was PSU. Other than that, I've been a stalwart fan since the original 8-bit Master System game. I hold it in higher regards than any other RPG franchise. PSO was different but still endearing so I'm excited to see how this one pans out.