In 2011 I wrote a blog post on my now-defunct Sega fansite Blue Skies Daily about hearing music from Phantasy Star Online 2 for the first time. I didn’t say much, but I was pretty dang stoked. Nine years later, the game has finally officially launched in the West on Xbox One, with a Windows 10 Store version launching next month.
As I write this, planning to launch this site, most of the world is being affected by the global pandemic, COVID-19. I have gone from teaching in a classroom to presenting lessons in video calls. There is a stay at home order in my city. No going to concerts, movies, bars, or restaurants. Reading the news every day is an exercise in staying calm and not getting too emotional about things I cannot control. I’m in a constant state of anxiety and worry.
Needless to say, like many of us, I needed a project. Something to celebrate. Something to share.
As I mulled over potential projects, ranging from Spawn comics to a blog about progressive metal, Phantasy Star just felt right. It’s probably my favorite video game series, and one that still has an air of mystery and discovery, at least in my mind.
So what is this site? There will definitely be a lot of nostalgic looks back on the history of the series, merchandise, and random cool stuff. I’m recruiting for a podcast, but we’ll see. I’ve been playing PSO2 since the XB1 beta, so that’ll probably make up a chunk of the content here (but don’t expect much in the way of mechanics deep dives or news. For that sort of stuff check out the official site, The PSU Blog, PSO World, and the Phantasy Star Wiki).
My goal here is simple: I want to celebrate the past, present, and future of this weird, fantastic series in the spirit of my early Sega blogging. Let’s do this.
Rocket To Motavia 