Just a small note from Sonic Team of Japan who have made the announcement that between the dates of 1st January & 10th January, there will be New Years decorations in the lobbies of the following Nintendo Gamecube games:

• Phantasy Star Online, Episodes I & II
• Phantasy Star Online, Episodes I & II Plus
• Phantasy Star Online, Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution

Also, if you were playing online yesterday you made have come across the sudden Server Maintenance Sonic Team were conducting on the Nintendo Gamecube servers. It's all over now though - No changes were made according to their updates.

Finally, don't forget to be online on your Nintendo Gamecube later today to compete in our one-day Xmas Battle Competitions! 5pm for Episodes I & II, and 9pm for Episode III, GMT. Be there!

Can you believe it's that time of the year again already?

What's that? You're living under a rock?! Well taxes have been pushed up again as they have every year now, but even so, you should still have realised it's been getting colder outside and darker earlier and earlier. You know why? Yes, Christmas time is here!

I just thought i'd take this time out as the clock has now past midnight to wish everyone out there in PSOland a very Merry Christmas and to make sure you have a great day with whoever you choose to spend your time with.

Maybe it's the family, maybe it's the local pub landlord, or maybe you prefer nothing better then a quick Photon Blast, and every single one of those is one hell of a Christmas to me. So, once again, have a very Merry Christmas this 2005, from everyone here at Ragol.co.uk - The Foremost Phantasy Star Online Resource - and i'll see anyone personally online very soon this December 27th for our Gamecube Christmas competitions. Cheers!

Sonic Team have now adjusted the English version of Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst so that the popular team quest 'Towards the Future' is now available to play! And that means our Team Towards the Future Challenge is also now underway, and we want your teams entry!

To enter this competition and win fabo prizes for your winning party, simply take snapshots of you and your finishing quest time and E-Mail them to lee-yoshi@ragol.co.uk before 31st December 2005! If your team has the fastest time on our leaderboard by the closing date, then your team are the victors! For all the information, check out this Ragol.co.uk Forum Thread, or view the relevant page in our Xmas Mini-Site at Ragol.co.uk/Xmas!

Good Luck & Happy Hunting!

The first of our Ragol.co.uk Xmas Forum Competitions is now over, and voting for the winner has begun!

Please take one simple minute to click this link, and cast your vote for your favourite Forum Signature of the 6 entered!

Thank you to those who entered, and Good Luck! The winner will be announced on New Years Day!

Cubed3.com is reporting that in the most recent edition of Nintendo Power (Nintendo's Official American Magazine), several quotes were published from various notable figures from the video gaming world on the Nintendo Revolution. One of note is from Bill Petro, Senior VP of Product Development for SEGA of America:

"Role-playing games will be greatly enhanced, due to new control styles. Pointing will make moving in large environments very simple, and twist- and position-senging will allow for dual weapon wielding or gesture-based spell-casting.”

Sounds like they've already got a new Phantasy Star title in the works doesn't it? Well, you never know.

Keeping with the Nintendo Revolution, there have been many internet rumours circulating recently, starting with words from Nintendo of America's main man, Reggie Fils-Aime at his most recent appearance at a Maccy D's for a Mario Kart DS Wi-Fi Connection event, where he's been recorded as announcing that SEGA have been "intrigued" at the Nintendo Revolutions Backwards Compatability (I.e. Old title Downloading). SEGA haven't confirmed or said anything official however at this point, but it's another nice piece of news to bring to you folks just before christmas!

Today, Ragol.co.uk finally announces the date for the Nintendo Gamecube Phantasy Star Online Battle Tournaments! The magic date is 27th December 2005!

Firstly, our Ragol.co.uk Phantasy Star Online, Episodes I & II Battle Tournament starts at 5pm (17:00) GMT (9am EST) in EU:Alphard:06-01.

To compete in this competition you must own and play one of the following Nintendo Gamecube games online:

• Phantasy Star Online, Episodes I & II
• Phantasy Star Online, Episodes I & II Plus

Simply come down to the official Ragol.co.uk Lobby & Block (Noted above) at 5pm GMT latest and the competition kicks off! One on One battles of Battle Rule #2 continue between users until our tournament brackets have found a winner, who'll then be treated to one of our fine Ragol.co.uk Dog Tags! For all the information on this Battle Tournament and to discuss it further with other forumers or myself, or to even pre-register for the event to let us know you'll definately be there and to save you a space, you can use this Ragol.co.uk Forum Thread!

Secondly is our Ragol.co.uk Phantasy Star Online, Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution Battle Tournament which commences straight after the Episodes I & II Battle Tournament, at 9pm (21:00) GMT (1pm EST) in Episode III's EU:Alphard:06-01.

Again alike the Episodes I & II Battle Tournament, make sure you're definately in the lobby and block noted above (Make sure you are in the Episode III version of Alphard06!) by 9pm GMT latest! Once we kick it all off we'll see battles of the rules listed on the forum thread below, and more battles of the like until our tournament brackets have found another champion to whom we'll award another of our amazing Ragol.co.uk Dog Tags! For all the information on this Battle Tournament with the rules and to discuss it further with other forumers or myself, or to even pre-register for the event to let us know you'll definately be there and to save you a space, you can use this Ragol.co.uk Forum Thread!

We hope to see you there! I will be at least!

Another Fortnight? Wow how the time flies eh? Christmas still isn't upon us yet, 1 week to go people! Well, infact, less then that! However before it does come there's room for one more installment of Ragol.co.uk's finest Hunters Gazette.

 Hunters Gazette - Va Va Voomiverse!

Click Here to go the the Hunters Gazette

In this shorter then the norm issue, we take a look at the most recent revealings of Sonic Team's Phantasy Star Universe including new vehicles, and the S.E.E.D!

Also stayed tuned to Ragol.co.uk tommorrow when we'll reveal the dates for the Nintendo Gamecube competitions we're holding this Xmas! Have a good one folks.

As part of our Xmas Competition Extraveganza, and since we've got one of our amazing Ragol.co.uk Xmas '05 Dog Tags remaining and unaccounted for, we decided we'd hold another competition.

If you're available tommorrow at approx. 8pm GMT, then come along for the first ever Ragol.co.uk Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst GOGO! Ball Competition!

All arriving competitors will be split into teams, with the winning team each time split down again in half until there are just 2 players remaining. The winner of course walks away the Ragol.co.uk GOGO! Ball Champion.

To participate, just bring your character down to Oceanus06:15 at 8pm GMT tomorrow (Friday 16th December 2005). For all the discussion on this competition, why not view this Ragol.co.uk Forum Thread. Please also note the competition will only run if there are enough participants. Hope to see you there!

Sonic Team have just announced what's coming you Blue Bursters way this Christmas!

Available now, you will be able to take advantage of the best christmas pressies Sonic Team could deliver this time of year... Double Experience! That's right, play ANY quest online between now and this time next week, you'll recieve double experience for anything you do.

Talking of quests, also available now on Blue Burst are Phantasmal World #3 and Phantasmal World #4! Take on the remainder of Episode II, but be careful for crying out loud! These quests are playable for between 1 & 4 human players. That's not all though, as Pioneer Hallowe'en finally gets replaced with the much more suitably dressed Pioneer Christmas quest. Go searching for the lost pressies! This quest is playable for 1 human player only though so you'll have to go it alone.

Finally being added is Episode II Challenge Mode. Have you and your team of 2 - 4 players got what it takes to get through the tough stages of Episode II? Teamwork pays remember as you're able to once again go for the S-Rank prize.

Happy Hunting!

We've launched a ton of new competitions that take place throughout December, throughout Phantasy Star Online, and throughout Ragol.co.uk, as a way of half celebrating Christmas, and half celebrating the 5th Anniversary of... Phantasy Star Online!

However, we haven't yet given you a reason to enter the competitions... now there is a reason, prizes! Come inside for all the prizes we've got up for grabs through almost all of our competitions. Whether you're planning on competing in-game, or just having funn on our forums this December, there's prizes that could just be for you!

 Hunters Gazette - Time for Celebrations... & Prizes!

Click Here to go the the Hunters Gazette

Talking of 5th Anniversaries though, also in this fortnights Hunters Gazette, we cover what SEGA of Japan tend to do to celebrate the occasion. You know how crazy Sonic Team of Japan like to go with a budget... lucky lucky Japanese hunters! We can only hope we get it half as good when SEGA of America & SEGA of Europe celebrate the 5th Anniversary early next year...

Now our christmas competitions are up and running in full effect, with competitions for every version of Phantasy Star Online ever made being catered for, it's time to change our poll! But before we do, let's overlook what you previously told us:

• Which version of PSO should we hold our next competition on/do you play the most?
  • SEGA Dreamcast, Version 1
    • 2.4% (10 Votes)
  • SEGA Dreamcast, Version 2
    • 4.4% (18 Votes)
  • Nintendo Gamecube, Episodes I & II
    • 44.3% (178 Votes)
  • Nintendo Gamecube, Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution
    • 4.2% (17 Votes)
  • Xbox, Episodes I & II
    • 12.4% (50 Votes)
  • PC, Blue Burst
    • 17.9% (72 Votes)
  • PC, Blue Burst: Episode IV Expansion
    • 13.9% (56 Votes)

Overall 401 of you cast your votes, and almost half of you said you wanted a Nintendo Gamecube Episodes I & II competition. Well guess what, you got one! When we announce an exact date for it, we'll let you know, but in the meanwhile, take a look at that particular competitions rules aswell as the rest of the competitions we're holding including the Blue Burst battle tournament (The second favourite!) and our Episode III competition plus all the forum goodness by clicking here!

Now, while we're here with christmas, why don't you let us know what your favourite competition is/may be, that we're hosting as part of our extraveganza! Do you love the sound of in-game battling on Gamecube once again, or maybe you prefer Blue Burst battle to try? Maybe you just prefer to listen to some great clips of past SEGA and console video games before getting furious at yourself because you can't remember what game its from? Or just maybe you prefer some bet online fun! Let us know! Place your votes... Now!!!

Adding to the Phantasy Star Online 5th Anniversary celebration and website, Phantasy Star Universe director 'Good Fortune' Tanaka's daughter Rie Tanaka will be going online in the Japanese Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst lobbies to interview some people about their PSO life!

All interviews made will also be recorded and transmitted across the recently announced PSO Live Channel!

Rie Tanaka can be found in the Japanese Blue Burst lobbies tommorrow (December 3rd) between the times of 13:00 & 17:00 Japanese Standard Time.

Ms. Tanaka seems to be a very up and coming girl in the land of Phantasy Star, maybe following in the footsteps of her father. You may remember she was last seen at the Tokyo Games Show this year where she appeared on stage dressed as Karen Erra! You go girl!

Sonic Team of Japan have today announced more information and images concerning another new feature making its Phantasy Star debut, the vehicle riding system!

While roaming the lands of the Universe, you can travel between planets on ship, or you can travel across land quicker then running by using different vehicles, and, as Sonic Team have announced today, particular animals too!

The new riding system as it's titled see's this particular creature (And maybe more) available throughout various points in the game which you can use just to hop on top of and ride around on at your pleasure! Should make the time go a bit quicker instead of running all over the planet!

On this day of advent, Ragol.co.uk starts up one hell of a celebration! Crossing over with 5 years of Phantasy Star Online, we're holding many, MANY different competitions, making it impossible for you not to find one you wouldn't like to enter! Whatever version of Phantasy Star Online you play, whether it's SEGA Dreamcast, Windows, Nintendo Gamecube (Episodes I & II, Episodes I & II Plus, or Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution), Xbox, or even PC Download (That is, Blue Burst, inc. Episode IV Expansion) come and show off how you've spent the last 5 years!

• Blue Burst Battle Tournament

Delayed from a month or two ago, we finally take our Battle Tournament to Blue Burst in style. In classic Ragol.co.uk Singles Knockout style, get down to the Blue Burst servers at a date TBA, and battle your way to become the first ever battle champion and walk away with a great prize!

• Episodes I & II Battle Tournament

Keeping our classic Ragol.co.uk Singles Knockout theme going, we're bringing it back to the Nintendo Gamecube, just like our very first battle competition. Take on others back in Alphard06 at a date TBA, and take down the rest of the competition to walk away with another great prize!

• Episode III Battle Tournament

Unlike all our previous Episode III Battle Leagues, this time, we are yet again continuing our classic Ragol.co.uk Singles Competition theme. At a date TBA, Alphard06 once again see's more competition, C.A.R.D. style! With special prizes in store, be sure to be a part of the action!

• Blue Burst 'Towards The Future' Team Challenge

In something fairly different from the current battle scene, and with all the in-game action going on, it'd be silly to leave the teams out of the christmas competitive spirit we're blooming here! On 22nd December, Sonic Team conducts Server Maintenance on the Blue Burst servers, and 'Towards the Future' quest is added  to the game! We want you and your registered Blue Burst team to blast through the quest as fast as you possibly can between then and 31st December!

• Ragol.co.uk Xmas Banzai!

Bet Online Fun in a competition that's something completely different! Use your Ragol.co.uk Meseta to bet on different questions possible outcomes every week up until christmas, and the winner makes a real profit, walking away with one nice prize!

• PSO Fan Art Competition

We've never had a proper fan art competition before, and to celebrate 5 years of PSO we want to see your best pieces of artwork, whenevr you drew them, whether it's brand new, or something you've drawn previously, in the last 5 years you've been a budding fan of Phantasy Star Online!

• PSO Snapshot Competition

5 years of PSO, which means a lot of possible snapshot taking possibilities, and we know there's most likely to have been some amazing moments in the past. Whether they're brand new, or old snaps, whichever version of PSO they're from, get them entered into our competition!

• Ragol.co.uk Forum Signature Competition

Signatures have always been popular on our forums, and pretty much all forums ever made for that matter! Now there's a chance to let them shine, by entering them into our special competition, purely devoted to these undoubtedly amazing delights!

• Guess the Song Competition!

Fellow Ragol.co.uk Staff Member decswxaqz is back and he's holding a very special version of his classic 'Guess the Midi' competitions... except this time he's not using midi's... but mp3's! Guess the Songs from popular SEGA games and more in a competition that never gets old!

We've also opened a special Xmas Mini-Site (Built by Staff Member Serpent7 - Click Here), which contains details to all the competitions, and upto-the-date information and news on the events! Aswell as that, if you haven't already noticed, our forums have gone all christmassy with a special new forum made especially for all the competitions in question. As if that wasn't enough, almost all our competitions come with special prizes for the victors and winners, but they're be revealed in the next edition of Ragol.co.uk's Hunters Gazette, so stay tuned for that! In the meanwhile, what are you waiting for?! Enter today!