Phantasy Star Online (Original) for the Switch. What we've really been waiting for

We’re interrupting your regularly scheduled blogging to bring you this special message.

Back in 2018, Sega released the “Sega Ages Collection” for Nintendo Switch. According to Jason Evengelho, “Sega Ages series producer Kagasei Shimomura wants the title lineup to expand from arcade classics to Sega Saturn and Dreamcast consoles.” The longtime producer spoke with the audience at Sega Fes 2018 and received wild applause when he said, "We will extend this initiative to the Saturn and Dreamcast with your continued support." (Translated by Twitter user @Stealth_ in this thread.)

Now, in 2020, all of us aging Dreamcast fanboys have been eagerly awaiting some official announcement. It's no surprise the religiously dedicated fanbase has been asking for Dreamcast games on the Switch because it seems like a no-brainer. Strangely enough, though, there is one criminally omitted title on every “Top 20 Dreamcast games we’d like to see on the Switch”. I’ll give you a minute to guess what it is...go on...I want to see if you’re paying attention...it’s Phantasy Star Online...Sega’s first MMORPG and the first ever game of its genre on a home console.

Those of you who were gleaming with joy at the thumbnail and title don’t have to be told why Phantasy Star Online would make a killer addition to Nintendo Switch’s lineup. For those of you wondering what Phantasy Star Online is, ask your parents where babies come from and then ask them what PSO is. Phantasy Star Online might have made its debut on the Sega Dreamcast in December of 2001 to critical acclaim, but after Sega waved the white flag on their alabaster gaming box PSO was released on the Nintendo GameCube and Microsoft Xbox. These consoles enjoyed additional content entitled “Episode 2”. It included a new story line, hub world, new levels and countless new items. To my knowledge, PSO was the only game that utilized the GameCube’s broadband adapter for online play. Remember that hilarious controller for PSO on the GameCube? According to Reddit user “sw201444” the Controller works on the Switch less the keyboard buttons.

Thank god the Switch is a touch screen.

The GameCube had a 4 - player split screen mode for exciting co-op action without the need to go online. Correct me if I’m wrong but the Xbox version was single player and online only. I’ve never played the Xbox version, but I would imagine it had voice chat during online play which, considering all the trash talking I did in Halo 2, might be a good thing I skipped this version.

In 2005, North America got a PC release of PSO entitled Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst. This version contained all of the original Dreamcast’s “Episode 1” content, the GameCube and Xbox’s “Episode 2” content, plus its own massive addition of content dubbed, “Episode 4”.

“Wait, did they skip something?” No, you didn’t count those episodes incorrectly, we just don’t talk about “Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution”, and I’m disappointed in you for even thinking about it. You should go to your room and think about what you’ve done. Go on, shew!The Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst servers stayed up, active and hosted by Sega, until 2008 in North America and 2010 in Japan. Luckily, hobbyists have kept several private servers going and PSO still has a die-hard PC player base. (I play on the Ultima Server)

With the devout fan bases of both the Dreamcast and Phantasy Star Online (across its many releases), why hasn’t there been even a hushed murmur of a re-release for the Nintendo Switch? Xbox is already enjoying the beta test for PSO 2, so where is the love for the original Phantasy Star Online!? Where!? Why!? Who??

Maybe I’m an optimist, but with the flexible architecture of the Switch’s Operating System, I think they’re just waiting for their fans to demand it. Rather than emulating a console port, the Switch hardware is more than capable of running the PC version of Blue Burst natively and as a fan, I think its time Sega and Nintendo look into this.

There’s no escaping it. The fans have spoken.

!!!THIS IS WHAT WE’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!!!