GaijinPunch wrote in to let us know that Famitsu will be releasing a Japanese Phantasy Star Universe strategy guide called "Phantasy Star Universe: Perfect Bible" in October. It is currently unknown if this is a different guidebook than the one that will be come with the SegaDirect keyboard. The source for this announcement can be found here.

SegaDirect has released details for the "For Brighter Day" Phantasy Star Universe soundtrack. This soundtrack will be released on October 12th and will consist of three CDs (69 songs). Here is a song-listing for each CD. Please note there maybe some minor spoilers in here!

Disc 1	Disc 2	Disc 3
Save This World -Orchestra Version- Parum Guardians The First Story Endrum Collective Obel Dallgun Hotels City -Parum- Clyez City -Guardians Colony- New Year Carnival RELICS Ancient Civilization Raffon Meadow Rozenom Line Milate 04 Abandoned City. Mellvore Contamination -Fire- Lunga Z.C.Enemy 1 Mistery Growl, From The Wild Sky The Last Story With You	Save This World Neudaiz Mirei Ohtoku City -Neudaiz- Making Character Marriage Sadness Mizuraki C.D. Ukishima Hakura Temple Tension RELICS -Sleep- Contamination -Dark- Clyez Linear Line Floader S.E.E.D Valentine Halloween Violent Madness the Machine Sparx Resolution The Hunt -The End of Planets- Epilogue 1 For Brighter Day	Save This World -Orchestra Short Version- Moatoob Alfort Tylor Dagora City -Moatoob- My Room Cherry Blossom Galenigare Mine Kugu Desert Uneasiness RELICS -Awakening- Contamination- Ice- Striker Z.C.Enemy 2 Comedy Christmas Brave Fight Fly Up Ivy S.E.E.D -Hive- The Vibe -The End of Planets- Epilogue 2 Overture For Brighter Day -Remix- For Brigher Day -Orchestra Version-

CD Image
This is a definite must-have for the Phantasy Star Universe music enthusiast! Credit goes to EspioKaos for spotting this update.

For anyone that is planning on importing Phantasy Star Universe and going online, you will want to check out the new SIGN website. As was mentioned previously, SIGN will be a portal website where you can pay your online monthly fees for various Sega games (including Phantasy Star Universe). The payment system is scheduled to go up on August 31st. There has been no mention yet of whether this system will accept foreign credit cards. Also, keep in mind that you will need a SegaLink account to use SIGN. Credit goes to Lyrise for bringing us this news.

According to the official Phantasy Star Universe website, Sonic Team will be exhibiting the game this weekend at the All Star Park Nagasawa. The event will run for a few hours each day (Friday and Saturday). There will be 105 yen (~ 1 USD) entrance and 480 yen (~ 4 USD) fees. Each participant will be limited to one hour of gameplay and will receive a clear file. Finally, participants will be able to play network mode in a connected PC/Playstation 2 environment. Credit goes to EspioKaos for bringing us this news. The clear file is pictured below.

Over the last few days, several small new PSU news items have come to light including new commercials, action figures, and Playstation 2 memory card requirements. The new commercials, which were discovered by Lord_DS, feature some story scenes and online gampelay elements, including a dancing lobby Rappy! Rena-ko spotted a news report on gamefront.de that said you will need 2,300 KB free on a Playstation 2 memory card for Phantasy Star Universe game save files. Finally, SegaDirect will offer an action figure set at the end of September for 6,000 yen (slighly less than 60 USD). This set will include Ethan Waber, Karen Erra, Mirei Mikuna, Alfort Tylor, and Renvolt Magashi. Each figure will come in two versions, normal and custom. Credit goes to EspioKaos for spotting this news. Nisshoku spotted the following picture and shared it with us:



You can discuss these updates in our Phantasy Star Universe forum.

In the latest issue of Play magazine, PSO-World forumer shidoshi had the opportunity to interview Takao Miyoshi, producer for Phantasy Star Universe. This was a wide-ranging interview that covered a number of topics. AzureBlaze was kind enough to provide us with a summary of the following important points from the article:

• Expert Type - After reaching a certain point in your character's development, you will have the ability to master two classes (HU, RA, or FO) and use them at the same time.
• Online Exclusives - Online mode will have exclusive maps, monsters, and weapons.
• Console Compatibility - It was confirmed that you will be able to switch between the PC and PS2 versions of the game and use your online account on both of them. No mention was made about XBox 360 interoperability.
• Return of Famous Weapons - Certain famous weapons will be making a comeback in Phantasy Star Universe. No specific weapons were mentioned.

If you would like to read more about the interview, be sure to pick up the latest copy of Play magazine. You can discuss this interview in the following forum thread.

The official Phantasy Star Universe website received a major site redesign on Friday. Almost every portion of the site has been redone with new graphics and slightly updated information. Given the radical overhaul of the site, this news article will focus on the new information that was revealed in the latest site update.

Sonic Team has announced they will be holding a screenshot contest to select the best picture that was taken during the closed beta. The winner of the contest will receive a Quo card! Participants have until August 4th to submit their picture.

Credit goes to EspioKaos for providing the soundtrack information. You can discuss this news in our Phantasy Star Universe forum.

SegaDirect has announced that a Phantasy Star Universe-themed memory card will be made available for the Playstation 2. This 8 MB memory card will cost approximately $30 USD and will only be available through SegaDirect. Based on the packaging, it appears the skin of the memory card will be customizable. You can click on the thumbnail below to see a larger version of the picture.



Credit goes to EspioKaos for noticing this addition.

The Japanese news site Famitsu showcased some new Phantasy Star Universe merchandise today. This merchandise includes a wireless keyboard, two soundtracks, and a game guide. The limited edition wireless keyboard is designed for use with the Playstation 2 and will be made by Fujitsu. You will be able to buy it and the game guide in a bundle for approximately $72 USD. The two soundtracks will be called Save This World and For Brighter Day. Save This World will cost about $22 USD and come on one disc. For Brighter Day is a three disc set that will cost around $33 USD and will be released in October. Here is the song listing for Save This World:

1. Save This World -Orchestra Version-
2. Guardians
3. Parum
4. Neudaiz
5. Moatoob
6. S.E.E.D
7. Ancient Civilization
8. With You
9. Save This World
10. For Brighter Day
11. For Brighter Day -Orchestra Version-
12. Overture
13. For Brighter Day -Remix-
14. Save This World -Orchestra Short Version-

This news was also seen on Gamefront.de. You can visit the Famitsu to see pictures of the new merchandise. Credit goes to rena-ko for helping to translate this article.