Sega Dreamcast's Best RPG Is Reportedly Getting a Reboot
One of the Dreamcast's biggest games might be coming back.
Arguably the most popular role-playing game to ever release on Sega Dreamcast is said to be coming back in the form of a new reboot or reimagining. Despite being the final console that Sega ever released, the Dreamcast ended up featuring a ton of acclaimed titles that have continued to be looked back upon fondly. Now, one of the platform's most iconic releases is said to be coming back, although details on this new iteration are still sparse.
Based on a new report, Sega is said to be in the process of recreating the hugely popular MMORPG Phantasy Star Online in some capacity. This info stems from an insider named Zippo, who has proven to be reliable in the past when it comes to Sega. This new iteration of Phantasy Star Online is said to be in the works from the same development team as the original game. As for when this reboot might be released, it still sounds many years away as the title's creation is said to still be in the early phases.
"I'm happy to report that a new installment in the series is in development at Sega's headquarters in Japan, and is being labeled as either a reboot/reimagining of the original Dreamcast Phantasy Star Online game," the report states. "It is once again a MMO being developed by the same development team No release date has been given, but it does sound like it's a ways out, so don't expect to hear about this one for awhile."
Assuming that this report is accurate, it's quite curious that Sega would look to return to Phantasy Star Online in this manner. This is primarily due to the fact that a sequel, Phantasy Star Online 2, has been out for over a decade and remains quite popular in 2024. Zippo notes that this new version of the original PSO wouldn't conflict in any way with PSO2, as both games would seemingly be supported at the same time. Given that the first PSO entry is likely the more popular of the two installments, though, perhaps Sega just wants to more easily make it available on modern hardware.
How would you feel about this potential return of Phantasy Star Online? And do you think this move would make sense given that Phantasy Star Online 2 still receives ongoing support? Let me know your own thoughts down in the comments section.