Fantasy or Phantasy ?
It’s a big time for role-playing fans, as two of the biggest ever get almost simultaneous European launches.
Square’s Final Fantasy IX and Sega’s Phantasy Star Online, are set to go head-to-head as the two titles arrive within a week of each other.
Final Fantasy IX arrives on Friday 16th Feb, as one of Sony’s final A-list releases for PlayStation One. February is usually a quiet time for quality games releases, but there is competition on the horizon. Just one week later (23rd Feb) Sega’s much vaunted Phantasy Star Online, is released on Sega’s outgoing Dreamcast.
Despite Sega halting production of Dreamcast from the end of March, they have vowed to support the platform until the end of the year. Phantasy Star Online is an excellent title, but with their current financial problems, it will be interesting to see how heavily Sega can afford to market the game. Squaresoft have historically been a phenomenally successful company. However, more recently spiralling production budgets and uncertainty about PSX and Dreamcast’s futures have resulted in losses, the first in the company’s history!
Final Fantasy IX will receive a marketing push that includes TV advertising and print ads in the specialist press. Both games have strengths and weaknesses, but if gameplay decides their fate both should chart respectably. Final Fantasy, however, will benefit from the SPX’s considerably larger installed user base, and from being part of an long-established series, with a large following.
Final Fantasy IX arrives on Friday 16th Feb, as one of Sony’s final A-list releases for PlayStation One. February is usually a quiet time for quality games releases, but there is competition on the horizon. Just one week later (23rd Feb) Sega’s much vaunted Phantasy Star Online, is released on Sega’s outgoing Dreamcast.
Despite Sega halting production of Dreamcast from the end of March, they have vowed to support the platform until the end of the year. Phantasy Star Online is an excellent title, but with their current financial problems, it will be interesting to see how heavily Sega can afford to market the game. Squaresoft have historically been a phenomenally successful company. However, more recently spiralling production budgets and uncertainty about PSX and Dreamcast’s futures have resulted in losses, the first in the company’s history!
Final Fantasy IX will receive a marketing push that includes TV advertising and print ads in the specialist press. Both games have strengths and weaknesses, but if gameplay decides their fate both should chart respectably. Final Fantasy, however, will benefit from the SPX’s considerably larger installed user base, and from being part of an long-established series, with a large following.
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