There seems to be a big mess in terms of Phantasy Star Online at the moment!

As has been posted in the official English Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst boards, those who are connecting to Blue Burst are recieving 903 and 906 errors at the login stage.

Whatever has happened doesn't stop at Blue Burst though, as SEGA of Europe also seems to be down at the moment, including Hunters License website PlaySEGA.com! On top of that it also seems to be affecting the Nintendo Gamecube versions of Phantasy Star Online (Well, at least for me!) as both Episodes I & II and Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution get's stuck at the DNS connection stage (Disconnecting after several attempts and a long delay).

As posted, SEGA is aware of the problem and is fixing them right now!

[Update] It's all ok again now as of 8am this morning. The problem was down to a huge power outage at SEGA of Europe HQ!

There will be server maintenance on the Nintendo Gamecube Phantasy Star Online servers during June 6th 2004 between the times of 14:00 & 17:00 (Japanese Time).

During this time please do not attempt to connect to the servers as if maintenance is happening on your corresponding servers at that time then you will be automatically disconnected after connecting. If you happen to be playing during these times please disconnect otherwise at the time when maintenance starts you will be disconnected from your game no matter what! You are given 10 minutes warning via. constant on-screen messages counting down until the time the upgrades start. This affects all players 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

Please reconnect after these times where service continues as normal.

Ragol.co.uk is now hosting one of the new trailers recently released by Sonic Team of Japan for Phantasy Star Universe!

To Download it, head over to our downloads page, or just simply click here (Or Right Click to 'Save Target As...'). It's 2 minutes & 50 seconds worth of joy, and at only 20Mb, it's a real bargain! Enjoy!

SEGA Direct/SEGA Link are making some ace goodies to go alongside the Japanese release of Phantasy Star Universe as Ragol.co.uk Forumer voxie has found! (Forum thread link)

Above on the left-handside is a keyboard made especially for Phantasy Star Universe that works with both the PC & PlayStation2 versions of the title via. wireless USB attachment! It'll set you back 8,190 Yen (Inc. Tax) (Approx. £39/57 Euros) and is compatable with both Windows 2000 & Windows XP (Installation CD included if required). On the right is an official art booklet and soundtrack CD that comes with particular (Limited Edition?) versions of Universe. Such items are usually also released with games over here in the U.K. so of all the items here, the limited edition artwork and soundtrack CD are the most likely of items we can hope SEGA of Europe to deliver to us with the game when it's released later this year!

They're also bringing out kick ass items such as this T-Shirt, which has various graphics in the form of D and S (Although i'm sure it's nothing to do with Nintendo's handheld console) but instead Director Sakai. They'll set you back 2,980 Yen (Inc. Tax) (£14/21 Euros).

Other items include SEGA's favourite phone and handheld device straps. Hook 'em onto whatever you like to show you're love for Phantasy Star Universe with these fantastic straps which you could use with maybe your mobile phone? Nintendo DS? Sony PSP? Maybe even wallet! Whatever you like!

The straps are designed around the Partner Machinery 'Pete' with wording 'GRM' (The manufacturer of Partner Machinery!), 'GHX - 005' (Pete's model number), and Pete himself!

Can we expect much of this over here - Not a chance really, but if you're into importing, check out... the internet i suppose.

...with Famitsu magazine, the number one video gaming magazine, probabily in the world, but of which is only (Of course) available in Japan, in Japanese!

As previously reported on, Ragol.co.uk Forumer voxie was right on the money as Phantasy Star Universe indeed recieves a PlayStation2 trial for both online and offline play! To take part in the trial of Universe for PS2, you have to be a resident of Japan as SEGA will have to send you the disc for the game! Applications are done through an application 'postcard' found on Famitsu magazine issues of 16th, 23rd and 30th June or online through the website (English) and must be recieved by 14th July 2006. The catch? Only 3,000 trials are to be done and participants are chosen at random! Applicants also have to be at least 12 years of age (Making the game a 12 rated game when it's released in full?).

Of course though, this is only in the Eastern parts of the world... somewhere that we are, as always, very far from reaching. In the meantime, vent your anger, or 'discuss' the issue in the forum thread located a little closer to home... here!

Sonic Team of Japan has sent some new Phantasy Star Universe goodies bursting out onto their games' official Japanese website! The website has a new frontpage, adding with it an official Japanese release date of 31st August 2006! That's the date for the PlayStation2 & PC versions anyways, the Xbox360 date is still TBA, so one could expect that it'll be released after the other versions. The website also contains three spiffing new trailers! Ooooooh!

SEGA of America have also updated their game page for Universe with the PC specifications of the game:

• Operating System:
• Windows 2000 (Service Pack 4 or later) / Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or later)
• Processor:
• Pentium 4 1.6Ghz or Higher
• Memory:
• 256Mb RAM Min.
• Video:
• GeForce4 series/ATI RADEON 8500 or higher
• Disk Space:
• 3Gb Min. (10Gb Required for the whole thing!)
• Connectivity:
• Online Broadband Recommended
• Control Options:
• Keyboard or Game Pad

Unfortunately they're sticking to their Autumn 2006 release date, and SEGA of Europe just haven't changed anything at all (Which is not really anything new!)

Ragol.co.uk Forumer voxie has delivered some news found by Phantasy Star Universe fansite PSUni.org from a Japanese web source of Syobo Online which states the following...:

• A PlayStation2 BETA test will be done over 3,000 public owned PS2's
• This BETA test may allow players to play through Chapter 1 of the Story Mode & have access to all the Online aspects of the game.
• The Japanese release date for the game has been altered to 31st August 2006 on PlayStation2 & PC
• Xbox360 remains TBA

Ragol.co.uk Forumer the_importer on the otherhand reckons the North American release date will also be changed due to the release window the game is currently stuck in, which is of course the same time as both the Nintendo's Wii console & Sony's PlayStation3 - Coming from an unrevealed source - But it'd be just common sense really to do that eh?

SEGA's booth at this year's E3 was a huge success as pretty much all of it's games were awarded.... well awards! Virtua Fighter 5 and Medieval II: Total War seemed to come out the best, but did Phantasy Star Universe recieve anything?

Well yes it did! Although it didn't win any awards, the game did recieve a nomination from IGN for 'Best RPG Game on Xbox360' and also came Runner-Up in the category of IGN's 'Best Persistent World - Xbox360'. The Xbox360 version of Universe must be very worthwhile to wait for!