Article: Recent Announcements for AOTI in Japan

[S-T-H]

As EspioKaos has reported on the forums, there are a couple of big news items for fans of the Gurhal series.

First up, SonicTeam has announced that the Japanese PlayStation 2 release of Ambition of the Illuminus will no longer be able to access Network Mode following March 31, 2011. From this point forward, a Japanese copy of AOTI for PC will be required to play online. Fortunately, a free-to-download version of the client is available and they will additionally be holding a campaign in April to further encourage the switch. It should be noted that players who do not wish to make the switch must cancel an auto-renewing account themselves.

As one might expect, this opens up the game to changes and additions that the developers may have been unwilling or unable to make in an attempt to continue supporting the PS2 version. Without delay, SonicTeam has also announced the so-called "update 3rd" will start in April 2011.

Those following Japan's happenings know that these free updates (and on occasion supplementary patches) contain additions to the client data past that which is found in AOTI. The first contained weapons and clothing from the first Phantasy Star Portable and later was collectively released under the banner of "GUARDIANS Advanced Content" for the Xbox 360 version. Appropriately, the second of these updates contained weapons, clothing, and even hairstyles from Phantasy Star Portable 2. While not much has been announced yet for update 3rd, teaser images have been released showing higher quality versions of areas formerly seen in PSP2 as well as a kind of enemy spawn yet unseen in PSU. A crossover event is also announced to be held with the upcoming Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity.

After all the requests for PSP2 content and features to be added to PSU, it should be exciting to see what else the developers might have in store for this and later updates.

[NoiseHERO]

If only I spoke japanese...D:

[Dragwind]

This looks...amazing. Now here's to hoping they implement some of the gameplay changes from PSPo2 into PSU. If they do that, I'll make the time to play PSU a lot more!

[Drac_Mazoku]

I'm not a PSU players, but this is the best decision they could do. PS2 was really holding back the updates. Now the game can become more and more massive.

[Yamishi]

Man, I'm getting more and more tempted to switch to the JP severs. If only I had the ability to get set up on their servers.

[DieannaKill]

So many badass news lately.

[zakura blade]

if this keeps up maybe just maybe psu can make a small come back psuport2 stuff is whats needed bring the bosses outfits pvp ect psu may be back