SEGA has released details regarding the Xbox 360 version of Sonic Team's popular MMO, including how it will differ from the PS2/PC versions and release dates for Europe, America and Japan.
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Contrary to the rumors, Sega's Massively Multiplayer RPG which is due out this year, will cost users a ten spot every month to play online. Orange Lounge Radio reported a while back that the MMORPG would be free for Xbox Live Gold members, and has corrected their statement after an email from Sega.

There has been a lot of speculation about fees for MMORPGs on Xbox Live. Because the monthly charges are meant to sustain servers and an infrastructure, some believed that the $50 a year paid for the Xbox Live Gold service would provide the needed systems and cut down on extra fees sharged directly by developers.
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Sega have announced that the Xbox 360 version of Phantasy Star Universe is set to follow the PS2 version's release, hitting Japan in December.
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New details have emerged of forthcoming PC, PS2 and Xbox 360 title Phantasy Star Universe - including news that you'll be able to create and customise your very own virtual living space.

That's according to an article in Famitsu, partially translated by GameSpot, which says you'll use special "remodelling tickets" to choose yourself a room from a range of designs.

You'll be able to spruce up your space by purchasing special items, and give other players presents, too. When you're online, up to five players can come and join you in your room - and even when you're offline, it'll still be open for others to come and visit. And if you need to drum up a bit of cash, you can even hold a jumble sale in your room to get rid of any unwanted junk.
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Monday 12 June 2006 Take a look at these 10 new screens from online RPG Phantasy Star Universe, the much-awaited follow-up to the excellent Phantasy Star Online, which is set for Japanese release on 31 August and will hit UK shores by the end of the year. The new screens focus on the blades 'n' bullets combat of the game, but also offer a glimpse of the player-controlled vehicles that are new to the series. And by 'vehicles' we also mean 'animals' - check out the shot of the Chocobo-style ...
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Sega's last console, the Dreamcast, has been dead and buried for almost five years now. One series that absolutely refuses to die with it, however, is its online version of RPG classic Phantasy Star. The game has hopped from Dreamcast to GameCube to Xbox, never quite catching the mainstream MMO appeal. Phantasy Star Universe hopes to change that by offering a planet-spanning single-player game in addition to the limitless, online dungeon crawling. The series began as a traditional, solo RPG, ...
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Monday 8 May 2006 Sega has released this horde of lovely screens from this autumn's big name online role-playing game, Phantasy Star Universe. Set to appear on PS2, Xbox 360 and PC, the game is the sequel to Dreamcast's innovative and much loved adventure Phantasy Star Online. But this time it will offer a strong story and a bolstered solo mode to match the immense worlds previously seen only online. And whatever way you decide to play, Phantasy Star Online will offer a huge cast of heroes ...
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Thursday 20 April 2006 Sega has announced Phantasy Star Universe for Xbox 360, a conversion of the long-awaited PS2/PC MMORPG. It's due for release on all three formats this autumn. PSU is a true follow-up to Phantasy Star Online, Sega's charming and addictive RPG adventure that introduced many a Dreamcast owner to the joys of massively multiplayer questing. PSU offers a more focussed and elaborate single-player campaign than the original, as well as allowing groups of up to six Hunters to get ...
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Long ago, on a since-retired console, the universe of Phantasy Star big-banged its way into existence and a legion of fans was born. Since then, the battered series has moved from platform to platform as a sort of RPG hobo, never really getting the cozy home that it enjoyed on the early Sega game ...
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411mania gives a rundown on this week's game releases. Highlights include Phantasy Star Portable, The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match, and Sukashishipanman DS: Shokotak Koto Nakagawa Shouko Produce!

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Phantasy Star Portable (PSP)
With Phantasy Star Portable, Sega basically took Phantasy Star Universe, fixed a lot of the problems people had with it, tweaked it to be more single-player friendly, and added more story elements. Some of those who hated PSU are actually saying that they like this version of the game. I find that hard to believe, but it's possible. If anything, this will at least give us something to do while waiting for Phantasy Star Zero.

Here is what you can expect from PSP:

- New story missions that take place between the original Phantasy Star Universe and Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus
In Phantasy Star Portable you will team up with a Cast named Vivienne as she investigates recent terrorist attacks on the colony as well as animal outbreaks on the surface of some of the planets. Space adventure and mayhem follow. I thought that PSU's story was ok; it wasn't groundbreaking or very memorable but it was still decent. So, if Sega was able to craft a story that is at least on par with the first game's, these missions could be worth plaything through at least once.

- Local as well as online play (with the help of a PS3 or your PC)
As expected, you can play with three other friends locally using the PSP's ad hoc mode. Those wishing to play over the Internet have two options - one that requires a PS3 and another that requires a computer. To use your PS3 you have to download the Ad-Hoc Party application from the Japanese PSN store and do a little tinkering. You can find instructions on how to do this at the PSO-World forums here. If you want to use your PC there's XLink Kai. Note that these two options work for the Japanese and English dem...
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