Konami detailed the Japanese limited editions for the upcoming Suikoden I & II HD Remaster, set to release on March 6, 2025. The remaster, titled Gensou Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars, will be available on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch, with three special Famitsu DX Packs offered for pre-order through Ebiten. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

The Famitsu DX Packs come in three versions. DX Pack I and DX Pack II include 3D crystal art of the main characters from Suikoden I and II, along with 108 acrylic stands representing the stars of destiny. These packs also feature new artwork by Junko Kono, the original character designer for Suikoden I, and a hero symbol engraved glass that pays homage to the protagonists.

The third version, the "Luka-sama Cheering Set," focuses on the villain Luka Blight from Suikoden II. This set includes a T-shirt with Luka's famous line, "Pigs must die!", a wine glass engraved with the Beast Rune, and a 3D crystal of Luka himself.

In related news, Konami has announced three digital pre-order bonuses for the remaster, including early access to the Fortune Orb and Prosperity Orb, which double experience and in-game currency gains, and a head start with 57,300 potch. These bonuses are available on all platforms where the game will be released.

Suikoden I & II HD Remaster and their limited editions will be available on Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, with the game set to launch on March 6, 2025.

The post Suikoden I and II Remastered Japanese Limited Editions Detailed  appeared first on Siliconera.

Bandai Namco announced a new Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream Open Network Test, and this time people will have nine characters to test out. People who own a Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC will be able to take part, and it will run between September 20-22, 2024. 

While this is a three day Open Network Test, there are certain times when this beta won’t be available due to maintenance. Here are the exact times when someone can take part in sessions.

• Session 1: 7pm PT/10pm ET on September 20, 2024 through 7pm PT/10pm ET on September 21, 2024. 
• Session 2: 11pm PT on September 21, 2024/2am ET on September 22, 2024 to 8pm PT/11pm ET on September 22, 2024. 

As for those nine Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream Open Network test characters, they should look familiar. Bandai Namco confirmed everyone from the closed beta is back. So here’s who you will see and the roles they’ll play.

• Agil (Tank)
• Argo (Rogue)
• Asuna (Fighter)
• Fukaziroh (Ranger)
• Kirito (Fighter)
• Leafa (Support)
• LLENN (Rogue)
• Oberon (Mage)
• Sinon (Ranger)

Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream will come to the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC on October 4, 2024. Pre-orders are open. The Open Network Test will run September 20-22, 2024.

The post Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream Open Network Test Has 9 Characters appeared first on Siliconera.

Demonschool, a tactical RPG with Persona influences, just had its September 13, 2024 release date delayed all the way back to early 2025. There’s no exact launch date for the game following this announcement, which is a move to add extra content to the game.

Necrosoft Games’ announcement went over the exact reasons for the Demonschool being delayed from September 2024 to sometime in 2025. The developer said the game, as it is now, is done. However, the goal behind this postponement is to add additional “things to do.” The announcement claimed if it had released as planned on September 13, 2024, players “would never have known” that there could have been more content.

Here’s the full Necrosoft Games statement about the game delay:

“You never want to delay a game, but Demonschool means a lot to us. We’ve really put everything we have into this project, and as we got closer to release we realized that meeting the Sept. 13th deadline would necessarily mean a game with less content than we originally envisioned.

After discussing with Ysbryd, we realized we have a couple of paths forward. We could:

• Ship the game in the state it’ll be in on Sept. 13. We’re proud of the game as it stands, but we want to make this world feel even livelier. 
• Ship the game in early 2025, which would allow us to manifest our bigger dreams into reality.

We believe the second option would be better for everyone for everyone who has followed our work so far. So we are delaying the game to make sure it’s as chock full of Things To Do as we had hoped. Realistically, the player would never have known. It still would’ve been a finished product. But we would have known that the game could have been more, and that’s the game we want to share. Ysbryd gave us the flexibility to do this, which is very unusual for a publisher these days, and we’re thankful for the opportunity to do this right. Since we’ll be taking extra time, we plan to create short dev diaries up until launch to offer more insight into the work we have ahead. We hope you look forward to these deeper dives into our process.

We’re sorry for those who are eagerly awaiting the game, but are very hopeful that all the extra content will be worth the wait. 2024 has been a very trying year for the team, so we appreciate your understanding.”

The official Necrosoft Games site hasn’t updated with the statement yet. 

While Demonschool is delayed out of 2024 and into 2025, people can still play it today. There is a demo on Steam for the PC version. The product listing still shows the September 13, 2024 

Demonschool will come to the Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2025. 

The post Demonschool Release Date Delayed From September 2024 to 2025 appeared first on Siliconera.

Bandai Namco has already announced that it will end its service for Blue Protocol in January 2025. However, it will not simply cease adding content to the MMORPG that has been running in Japan since mid-June 2023. On the Japanese announcement page, Bandai Namco has also published a closure roadmap for Blue Protocol.

The Blue Protocol closure roadmap reveals that Bandai Namco will continue adding content like event missions and Gasha costume banners to the game until December 2024. The final major update will appear on December 18, 2024. It will add a new story chapter with a new map and a maximum level cap increase. But even though the list is already very extensive, Bandai Namco noted that not all content updates are listed in this roadmap.

Here is the extensive roadmap for the upcoming closure of Blue Protocol:

• August 28, 2024

  • Ver.1.07.000 Update
  • Stop new purchases of Paid Rose Orbs
  • Implementation of the Awakening Battle Imagine "B-Flare Demi Dragon"
  • Start of the 9th Season Pass (All forthcoming season passes will also be available for free)
  • Additions of High-Class Survey Missions "The Revered Shrine Road of Tuonela" and "Beautifully Decorated Dazzling Seat"
  • Addition of the Raid Mission "The Empty Floating Island - The Thunder Dragon Strikes #2"
  • Start of the "Bonding Deity's Delivery Room" Score Attack (This will also be the last ranked Score Attack; subsequent stages will be re-runs)
  • Start of the EX Rush 4th Grade - The Sickle of Three Misfortunes
  • Start of the monthly event "Spicy Dessert"
  • Salamzart & Magic Lag Gasha
  • Implementation of the Imagine Relief and its trade shop

• September 11, 2024

  • Start of the "Divinely Possessed Pillar #2" Time Attack (This will also be the last ranked Time Attack)
  • Super Step-Up Gasha

• September 25, 2024

  • Ver.1.07.100 Update
  • Start of the 10th Season Pass
  • Additions of High-Class Survey Missions "The Dreaded Arsenal Factory of a Ruined Country" and "Pure and Clear Sacred Ground - Ancient Spirit Graveyard"
  • Addition of the Raid Mission "The Stormy Ground - The Sand Bug Intrudes #3"
  • Start of the EX Rush 4th Grade - Spreader
  • Start of the First Solo V-Arena
  • Start of the monthly event "Vivid Paint"
  • Gothic & Patched Costume Gasha

• October 9, 2024

  • Autumn New & Returning Costumes Step-Up Gasha

• October 16, 2024

  • Start of the Fishing Festival

• October 30, 2024

  • Ver.1.07.200 Update
  • Start of the 11th Season Pass
  • The High-Class Survey Missions High-Class Survey Missions "The Revered Shrine Road of Tuonela" and "Beautifully Decorated Dazzling Seat" are available again
  • Addition of the Raid Mission "The Abyssal Husk Land - The Mad Splitter Descends" with the new Raid Boss "Forest Reaper"
  • Re-run of the EX Rush 4th Grade - Fish Scales
  • Start of Sudden Death Battle II - Raging Seas
  • Start of the "Outer Continent Area Survey" event
  • Addition of the "Splash Beach"
  • Clown & Casual Gasha
  • Blue Protocol Gasha
  • Additions of "Kaiser Elk" and "Dry Bonnet" to the Mount Gasha
  • End of Ranking Calculations for the First Party and Solo V-Arena
  • Stop new comment posts for Team Recruitments and Official Contests on the official website's Team and Community menus

• November 13, 2024

  • Start of the monthly event "The Migratory Bird with a Dreamy State of Mind"

• November 27, 2024

  • Ver.1.07.300 Update
  • Addition of Christmas decorations in the Astelriese area
  • Start of the 12th Season pass
  • The High-Class Survey Missions "The Dreaded Arsenal Factory of a Ruined Country" and "Pure and Clear Sacred Ground - Ancient Spirit Graveyard" are available again
  • Addition of the Raid Mission "The Abyssal Husk Land - The Ice Splitter Descends"
  • Re-run of the EX Rush 4th Grade - Ringleader
  • Start of Sudden Death Battle II - Purple Lightning
  • Start of the monthly event "Ginger My Honey"

• December 18, 2024

  • Ver.1.08.000 Update
  • Addition of the Main Quest's Chapter 7
  • Addition of the new field "Granville Ice Realm"
  • Increase of the maximum level cap from 80 to 90
  • Additions of new special effects to weapons with Rare and Legendary rarities
  • Additions of High-Class Survey Missions "Arvett Snow Peak - Additonal Survey," "The Forgetting Sea of Trees - Survey," "The Abandoned Freezing Ancient Fortress," and "Audience With the Dragon King - The Dark Dragon's North Pole"
  • Additions of new Raid Missions with frequently changed Raid Bosses
  • Start of the EX Rush 5th Grade - Heavenly Spear
  • Start of the Second Party V-Arena
  • Start of the "Granville Ice Realm Survey" event
  • Grand Finale Gasha
  • Addition of the Grand Finale Gasha Ticket to the daily free pack

• December 25, 2024

  • Start of the 13th Season Pass

• December 26, 2024

  • Start of the monthly event "Find Fave"

• January 18, 2025

  • End of Service for Blue Protocol at 10 PM JST

• February 18, 2025

  • The Blue Protocol official site will close at 3 PM JST

Blue Protocol is available for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X in Japan until January 18, 2025.

The post Bandai Namco Publishes Blue Protocol Closure Roadmap appeared first on Siliconera.

Bandai Namco has updated the official Tales of Graces f website to include details on the remastered version of the game, including changes to QOL and visuals. As a side note, the Nintendo Switch version will be the only one in which you can only play in 30 FPS, while the other consoles will be in 60 FPS at the minimum.

The whole list of changes is available via the official website. But the vast majority of them have to do with making the game easier to play. Here is a list of them all, as well as a short descriptor of each improvement or change:

• Auto-save
• Dash
  This is faster than the usual running and you’re able to toggle it on or off with the touch of a button.
• Removing enemy encounters
  If you turn off enemy encounters, you will not engage in battle even after you touch an enemy symbol on the overworld. This likely eliminates the need for Holy Bottles.
• Skipping events or Groovy Chats
  By holding down a button, you’ll be able to skip through events or Skits.
• Clicking through voice lines in Groovy Chats
  By pressing a button, you’ll be able to skip to the next line in Groovy Chats as if they were normal dialogue in the story.
• Accessing the Grade Shop from the very beginning
  Instead of needing to first beat the game to access the Grade Shop, you’ll be able to purchase bonuses from the start.
• Destination icon on the map
  An exclamation mark will denote where you need to go to advance the main story. As well, the remaining distance between you and that destination will appear on the screen.
• Cursor speed on the world map
  By pressing down a button, you’ll be able to speed up the cursor while you’re on the world map.
• Retry function in normal battles
  Even if you end up losing in a normal battle and get a game over, you’ll be able to retry from that battle instead of needing to load up a save file.
• Subtitles for dialogue in battle
  When characters talk to each other in battle or use their Mystic Artes, subtitles will appear at the bottom of the screen so you can better understand what they’re saying. You can toggle this on and off from the options.
• Making new Artes or Skills more obvious
  Newly acquired Artes, Skills, and such will be green.
• Color vision support
  Any dungeon gimmicks that required the usage of colors to solve will now be solvable using other clues. In other words, even if you can’t see certain colors, you’ll be able to clear dungeon puzzles on your own.
• The inclusion of certain DLC content
  While not every piece of DLC from the original version of f will be in the remastered version of the game, we’ll still get over 80 items. DLC includes unique Groovy Chats, Magic Karta cards, items, bonuses, and costumes (past Tales games, school uniforms, formal outfits, attachments).
• Dubbed versions of DLC Groovy Chats
  Since the DLC Groovy Chats were only in the original Japanese, the remastered edition will have dubbed versions of them in English
• Master volume adjustment
  You’ll be able to adjust the master volume of the entire game from the options, rather than having to individually lower the BGM, sound effects, voice lines, and cutscenes.
• Adjustment to certain sound effects
• Dual audio (Japanese and English)
• Button configuration for exploring and combat
• Addition of an hourglass icon for time-limited events
  Certain events in Tales of Graces are only available for a short period of time within the story, and they were hidden as well. The remastered version will add an hourglass icon to make it easier for people to find them.
• No online ranking in Challenge Battles

Tales of Graces f will come out on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC on January 17, 2025.

The post Full List of Tales of Graces f Remastered Changes Detailed appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo has updated its annual Tokyo Game Show webpage with details for its 2024 appearance. The company will set up playable demos of Dynasty Warriors Origins and Fairy Tail 2 as the primary highlights of the Koei Tecmo TGS 2024 booth.

In addition, the company announced that it will further decorate its booth with statues of key characters from both games. It will place a statue of the Dynasty Warriors Origins version of Lu Bu, as well as Natsu Dragneel and Lucy Heartfilia from the sequel to the game adaptation of Hiro Mashima's manga series.

As a reminder, Koei Tecmo has announced that it will release Fairy Tail 2 first for PCs worldwide on December 11, 2024. The console releases on the PS5, PS4, and Switch will appear in Japan and East Asia on December 12, 2024, and in North America and Europe on December 13, 2024. Meanwhile, Dynasty Warriors Origins is still only slated for release on the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2025.

Koei Tecmo has yet to confirm other titles it will showcase in TGS 2024 besides Dynasty Warriors Origins and Fairy Tail 2 as of the new webpage's opening. However, the company has confirmed that it will hold its own online program on Friday, September 27, 2024, at 5 PM JST.

Tokyo Game Show 2024 will take place at Makuhari Messe on September 26-29, 2024.

The post Koei Tecmo TGS 2024 Booth Will Have Fairy Tail 2 and DW Demos appeared first on Siliconera.

Yusuke Tomizawa, the producer for the Tales series, has released a video message on YouTube in regards to the Tales Remastered Project, as well as the 30th anniversary of the series. Bandai Namco plans to continue remastering past titles.

Here is the producer message from Tomizawa-P for the 30th anniversary of the Tales series:

The video is a little under four minutes and a half long. According to Tomizawa, the Remastered Project is part of the 30th anniversary commemorations. This means there may be more to come from the studio. The Remastered Project will focus on making past games accessible and easy to play on new consoles in an enjoyable way for both newcomers and veterans. We can see this in QoL improvements for Graces f. For example, the Grade Shop's accessibility from the start will make the game much easier. It's unclear if the Remastered Project will bring Japanese-exclusive titles to the west as well.

The rest of the video focuses on describing the general plot and worldview of Tales of Graces. It takes place in Ephinea, which has three major countries in it. Asbel Lhant, the future lord of Lhant, meets a mysterious amnesiac girl named Sophie, and befriends her and Prince Richard. Tragedy strikes and the children go their separate ways. When they reunite down the line, they're different people in a different political clilmate. The video mentions that reception to the game’s story and characters have been positive, and the combat system in particular received acclaim. These reasons, as well as constant requests, are why Graces f is the first game to receive a remaster as part of the Remastered Project.

Tales of Graces f Remastered will come out on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC on January 17, 2025.

The post Bandai Namco Teases More Remastered Tales Games appeared first on Siliconera.

After getting a chance to watch an NIS America staff member play through the upcoming JRPG Reynatis, I was struck by the various forces at play in the game. In many ways, it seems like a player might need to balance certain elements, such as which mode to use in battle and their stress levels. While there’s still more to see and confirm, it seems like the sort of game where a player may need to pay attention.

During my hands-off preview session, I was able to watch an NIS America employee sample two sections. The first featured Magic Enforcement Administration (MEA) agent Sari Nishijima work alongside her team members Kiichiro Ukai and Masayoshi Dogo on a search for Wizarts, markings in the city enabling certain magical abilities and skills, around Shibuya. In the other portion, there was a briefer look at wizards Marin Kirizumi and Nika Meguro as the two happen upon each other in Shibuya and attempt to live freely as wizards. From there, brief glimpses of exploration and battle helped set the stage for the title.

One of the ways the balancing act in Reynatis came up in gameplay during the preview session involved actions wizards take. We quickly learned that Stress is a key factor. It’s caused by interactions with people in the city and around you, and reduced if you grab a drink. Petting cats around town was also mentioned as a way to calm someone down. 

It’s a critical element, since someone being stressed means they won’t be able to hide that they are a wizard. This will make them visible in the city, resulting in undue attention from people and the MEA and the inability to take on certain quests. Those additional enemy encounters can be dangerous, as if you’re stressed going into a fight, you will only be able to take advantage of Liberation Mode. This lets you use your magical abilities to slow down time, quickly attack, and deal major supernatural damage. However, you won’t be able to dodge like you do in Suppression Mode and enemies move faster. If your Stress is low, then you can switch between the two modes in a fight to more tactfully take advantage of each one to build up magical power and evade attacks before striking back hard.

There’s also the idea of some humans towing the fine line between safety and danger. This is due to the use of an illegal drug on the streets called Rubrum that allows someone without magical talent to see and use wizarts. During the Sari portion of the story on display in the hands-off preview, part of the mission involved her team of three investigating Wizarts and happening upon a human who had been regularly taking this drug. As a result, he’d hit his limit and, during the encounter, transformed into a monster because of that use.  

Part of that balance seems to be between real-world and fantasy elements too, from what I saw. The MEA building in one part of the preview seemed ordinary enough as Sari explored it, but there were also these magical Wizart and wizard elements. Their uniforms also stood out in a way normal governmental employees’ would. This doesn’t even get into the eventual NEO The World Ends with Youelements that NIS promised. But once someone heads out into the city, Shibuya looks as it would in the real world. While I watched the NIS America employee play and visit a store, familiar products showed up. There was C.C. Lemon, my favorite lemon-flavored soda and Yakuza series staple. BOSS coffee showed up as well. 

All of this makes me curious how difficult it will be to maintain these types of balances when I’m playing Reynatis firsthand. It seems like there’s a lot to manage here. Especially considering the penalties wizards can face if they get careless. 

Reynatis will come to the PS4, PS5, Switch, and PC in North America and Europe on September 27, 2024, and then in Australia on October 4, 2024. 

The post Preview: Reynatis Might Just Be a Balancing Act appeared first on Siliconera.

Bandai Namco announced that service will be ending for Blue Protocol in Japan and Amazon also confirmed the worldwide release is canceled as a result of the shutdown. The Japanese version will remain active until January 18, 2025. 

The announcement appeared on both the Japanese and English websites for the MMORPG. There is also a Japanese video going over the announcement and final roadmap. The team will continue adding new content and updating the game until it is closed down. The paid Rose Orbs currency is no longer being sold, and there will be no refunds for those purchases. Bandai Namco will give out 5,000 Rose Orbs on the first day of every month starting in September 2024 and running until January 2025. Players can get 250 Rose Orbs every day. They can also get the season pass for free starting with the just-released ninth one.

Here is Bandai Namco’s full English statement about the Japanese shutdown of Blue Protocol and the global version being canceled:

We regret to inform you that the Japanese version of Blue Protocol will be ending service on Saturday, January 18, 2025.

Due to the end of the Japanese version, we are no longer able to continue development of the Amazon Games version, so after discussing with Amazon Games, we have decided to cancel the release of this title in the US and Europe. We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience.

Amazon Games has high expectations for Blue Protocol, and the two companies have had a good relationship up until now and have been making preparations, so we are very disappointed.

We want to provide an experience that makes you feel like you've entered the world of anime.

The project has taken on the challenge of creating a world where each and every player canenjoy an adventure as the protagonist of an anime.

Since the announcement, you have all been looking forward to the game, and we have been making preparations for its release. However, we have come to the conclusion that it would be difficult to provide a service that satisfies you all, and therefore we have decided to cancel the release of the Amazon Games version.

We deeply apologize to everyone for this sudden announcement.

Here is Amazon’s official statement on Blue Protocol service ending:

Bandai Namco Online announced that they have made the difficult decision to end service on Blue Protocol. They will shut down their Japanese Blue Protocol servers in January 2025, and have ended plans to release the game in the West in collaboration with Amazon Games.

In their statement announcing the end of service, Bandai Namco Online said, “We have enjoyed a strong relationship with Amazon Games throughout the development of Blue Protocol, and both of our teams are disappointed that we will not be able to deliver the game to players around the world.”

We know this is disappointing news, and we share your disappointment. We love the world and characters of Blue Protocol, and we were excited to welcome players around the world into Regnas. We join Bandai Namco Online in expressing deep gratitude to the passionate fans who followed BBlue Protocol development and participated in the Closed Technical Test.

We have great respect and appreciation for the talented team at Bandai Namco, and wish them success in their next endeavors. You can read Bandai Namco Online’s full statement about Blue Protocol here.

Prior to the shutdown notice, Bandai Namco regularly added new content to Blue Protocol. In June 2024, chapter 6 appeared. We also saw new classes appear after launch. One was the Beat Performer, and another was the Blitz Lancer.

We did have some idea that there were issues with Blue Protocol before this latest announcement. In February 2024, a Bandai Namco report suggested it was underperforming. In a Famitsu interview with the developers in June 2024, Director Keisuke Fukuzaki said they were looking at when they noticed players dropping off and would work to try and address causes.

Blue Protocol is available for the PS5, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC in Japan until January 18, 2025, and the global release is canceled.

The post Blue Protocol Ending in Japan, Worldwide Release Canceled appeared first on Siliconera.

Konami announced three pre-order bonuses for those who grab a digital copy of Suikoden I & II HD Remaster on social media. Two of them are early unlocks for pieces of equipment you’d normally get access to later in the game, while the other offers a head start with a substantial amount of in-game money.

Calling dibs on a digital copy gets you 57,300 potch as the first Suikoden I & II HD Remaster bonus. This is the money you’d use to buy Runes, equipment, or other items in games. This would normally be acquired at a standard pace while going through fights and the adventure. 

The two pieces of equipment given as Suikoden I & II HD Remaster pre-order bonuses are the Fortune Orb and Prosperity Orb. Each one can be equipped on a character. The person who holds the Fortune Orb will get twice as much experience from every fight they participate in. Meanwhile, if the one with the Fortune Orb equipped is in a battle, you get twice as much potch currency from the fight.

Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars will come to the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC on March 6, 2024.

The post There Are 3 Suikoden I & II HD Remaster Pre-order Bonuses appeared first on Siliconera.

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has announced an upcoming price increase for the PS5 and its accessories, controllers, and peripherals in Japan, which will take effect on September 2, 2024. The adjustment is attributed to global economic challenges affecting the company's operations. The standard PlayStation 5 will now be priced at ¥79,980 (approximately $545 USD), and the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition will cost ¥72,980 (around $495 USD) after the change. 

Additionally, the price will increase for the PlayStation 5 DualSense Wireless controllers, with models such as the Midnight Black and Cosmic Red now priced at ¥11,480 (approximately $78 USD) each, while special editions like Volcanic Red and Sterling Silver will retail for ¥11,980 (about $82 USD). Other accessories, including the PlayStation Portal Remote Player and the PlayStation VR2, are also affected. The PlayStation VR2 is now set to cost ¥89,980 (roughly $615 USD), and the bundle including Horizon: Call of the Mountain will be priced at ¥94,980 (around $650 USD).

This comes after price increases for Sony's subscription services on the console worldwide. PlayStation Plus offers three tiers: Essential, Extra, and Premium. The Extra tier provides access to a broad selection of games, and the Premium tier includes additional features like classic titles. Monthly subscription rates are now $9.99 for Essential, $14.99 for Extra, and $17.99 for Premium, following an increase in September 2023.

These new PS5, controller, and peripheral price increases will go into effect in Japan starting on September 2, 2024.

The post Price of PS5 and Its Peripherals Going Up in Japan appeared first on Siliconera.

Square Enix announced that Foamstars, currently available on the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, will transition to a free-to-play model beginning on October 4, 2024. This price change marks a significant shift from the game’s previous regional pricing strategy and is designed to make the game accessible to a broader audience.

Notably, after the transition, players will no longer need a PlayStation Plus subscription to access the game. This means anyone will be able to download and play Foamstars for free.

For those who have already purchased and downloaded Foamstars before the switch, Square Enix is offering a "Legacy Gift." This package includes 12 exclusive color-variant Bubble Beastie skins, an exclusive Slide Board design, and a special title called "Legacy." 

Since its launch, Square Enix updated Foamstars with season passes and additional characters. For example, a new season will start on August 30, 2024. That will bring with it an additional playable character. Ahead of its launch, Square Enix shared a song that will show up alongside the update called “Golden Beats.” 

The price change is set to take effect on October 4, 2024. Square Enix advises players to confirm that the price has been updated before downloading the game, to ensure they receive it for free.

Foamstars is available for the PS4 and PS5.

The post Foamstars Becomes a Free-to-Play Game  appeared first on Siliconera.

After events in Final Fantasy XIV, Square Enix will sometimes add rewards from them to the official store a year later when the activity returns to the game. That just happened with The Rising 2023 Phoenix and its whistle, which debuted in the FFXIV Online Store as the Reborn Phoenix mount. 

The Reborn Phoenix mount costs $12 in the FFXIV Online Store. It nets you the Rising Phoenix Whistle, which summons the bird for your avatar to ride. It is identical to the one we could earn for free in August 2023. This is a single character item, and someone can use it once you gain the ability to ride a Chocobo in-game. There is also a fiery mount action tied to it.

Here’s how the Reborn Phoenix looks:

This Rising Phoenix Whistle tied to the Reborn Phoenix mount is one of multiple former The Rising items now available in the FFXIV Online Store. Here’s the list of the other items you can buy now:

• Authentic The Rising Advertisement - $5
• “The Land Reborn” Orchestrion Roll - $3
• “Pom from the Heavens” Orchestrion Roll - $3

You can also get an A Realm Reborn Poster Set or Heavensward Poster Set for $12.50 each.

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and The Rising 2024 is available until September 11, 2024.

The post FFXIV The Rising 2023 Reborn Phoenix Mount Added to Store appeared first on Siliconera.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival will no longer be exclusive to Nintendo Switch. Bandai Namco has announced that it will release the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC versions of Rhythm Festival on November 7, 2024.

Most of the new platform releases will only be available for purchase digitally. The PC version will be available via Steam and Xbox Games Store. However, Bandai Namco has so far confirmed that it will release physical copies of the PS5 version in Japan.

The PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S versions of Rhythm Festival will support a frame rate of 120 fps. It will be the first time Bandai Namco is adding such a feature in a Taiko no Tatsujin console entry. People can immediately check how the game's frame rate looks like, as Bandai Namco has released a demo version on each platform.

The new platform versions will also have a number of different tracks to replace the Nintendo-exclusive music. The original Switch version featured tracks from Super Mario Bros, The Legend of Zelda, and Kirby Star Allies. Bandai Namco will replace the aforementioned tracks with a Monster Hunter: World medley, "Dr. Wily Stage 1" from Mega Man 2, and "Last Surprise" from Persona 5.

In addition to the subscription-based Taiko Music Pass, Bandai Namco will also sell a Song Collection Set DLC that adds numerous existing songs for the new platform releases. The Anime Song Collection will include "I'm Invincible" and "New Genesis" from One Piece Film Red, as well as Haruhi Suzumiya's "God Knows..." The DLC will also contain a Pop Collection that includes the xxxHOLiC movie theme song "Habit" and a Vocaloid Song Collection that contains "Luka Luka Night Fever" among others.

The official English trailer for the new platform releases of Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is available to watch on YouTube:

The original version of Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival has been available on Nintendo Switch since September 2022. Bandai Namco will release the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC versions of the game on November 7, 2024.

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Koei Tecmo announced the release date for Fairy Tail 2, the newgame that follows the events of the 2020 one. It will appear this year. The PC version will show up first, with that coming to Steam on December 11, 2024. Then the console versions will launch a few days later on December 13, 2024.

A release date trailer accompanied the Fairy Tail 2 announcement. It began by confirming manga creator Hiro Mashima’s involvement. Then, we saw the two sides involved. One is the guild, with Natsu accompanied by all his allies. Then, as the Alvarez Empire events and final battle are teased, we see all their opponents. From there, it focuses on gameplay. We see Fiore, watch the crew in fights, and see special attacks. After that, parts of the story and appearances from Alvarez Empire characters are teased. At the very end, we see that pre-orders net us a Natsu of Edolas costume for him, and buying it at or immediately after launch lets us dress Lucy in her Miss Fairy Tail Contest outfit.

Prior to this Fairy Tail 2 reveal, we learned a bit more about what we can expect to see in the new game. There will be original story content in it. This will involve a new epilogue. Spoilers aside, expect to hear more about what happened after the guild got involved in the events in the Alvarez Empire Arc. 

The Fairy Tail 2 release date is December 11, 2024 for the PC version on Steam, with the PS4, PS5, and Switch versions arriving on December 13, 2024. 

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