Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis

Although this product has been released, it remains under active development - information may change frequently and could be outdated or irrelevant.

Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis

Developers
	Sega Sapporo Studio
Publishers
Japan and Global	Sega
Taiwan and Hong Kong	Gamania
Southeast Asia and Thailand	Asiasoft
Release dates
Windows	July 4, 2012
Reception
OpenCritic	72
IGDB	77
Taxonomy
Monetization	Free-to-play
Microtransactions	Boost, Cosmetic, Currency, Free-to-grind, Player trading, Time-limited, Loot box
Modes	Multiplayer
Pacing	Real-time
Perspectives	Third-person
Controls	Direct control
Genres	ARPG, Gambling/casino, JRPG, MMORPG, Open world
Art styles	Anime
Themes	Fantasy, Japan, Sci-fi, Space
Series	Phantasy Star

Phantasy Star
Phantasy Star Online	2001
Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst	2004
Phantasy Star Universe	2006
Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus	2007
Phantasy Star II	2012
Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom	2012
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium	2012
Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis	2012

Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis (PSO2 NGS and NGS for short), formerly known as Phantasy Star Online 2 (PSO2 for short) is a multiplayer real-time third-person open world MMORPG game developed by Sega Sapporo Studio (then-known as Sega Online R&D) and published by Sega. It is part of the Phantasy Star series.

The game was released in Japan on July 4, 2012. An Asia version of the game for Asian territories was released by Asiasoft on May 29, 2014, but was shut down on May 26, 2017. Gamania had also released the game in Hong Kong and Taiwan, but was also shut down in 2017. It would be three years before Sega, in collaboration with Microsoft, released the game globally on May 27, 2020 via Microsoft Store. The game was also later released on Steam on August 5 of that year. There was also a PlayStation Vita version of the game exclusively released in Japan, but support for the platform ended in September 2020.

The game later received a big update on June 9, 2021 in the form of Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis, in which a completely new world setting with open-world gameplay was released and is completely separate from the original PSO2. Since the June 7, 2023 update, PSO2 was separated from the game and is available as a free DLC.

As an online multiplayer game, PSO2 NGS receives new updates almost every week. The original PSO2 can be accessed after clearing the Prologue in NGS, and can be accessed from the Character Select menu or via the Ryuker Device after activating it from Central City. The game supports cross-play with Xbox One and PlayStation 4 players in the Global server, and with PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch players in the Japanese server. Do note that the Global server and the Japanese server are separate and players on one server cannot play or interact with players on the other.

Key points

The Global server is region locked in Latin America.^{[citation needed]}

General information

Official Japanese Support page

PSO-World.com Forums

PSO2 Tweaker (English patch for Japanese server)

Steam Community Discussions

Availability

Source	DRM	Notes	Keys	OS
Retail		Japanese server
Official website		Japanese server. Cross-platform multiplayer with PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.
Epic Games Store		Global server. Cross-platform multiplayer with Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Microsoft Store		Global server. Cross-platform multiplayer with Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Xbox Play Anywhere.
Steam		Global server. Cross-platform multiplayer with Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

The Global server allows for account linking between Xbox One/Microsoft Store, PlayStation 4, Steam and Epic Games Store through the Account Link feature.

Account linking on the Global version is not possible if a new character is made before an account is linked on either Xbox One/Microsoft Store, PlayStation 4, Steam, Epic Games Store.

A SEGA ID, a Twitter account or a LINE account is required to access the Japanese server. The latter two supports linking to a SEGA ID.

Monetization

Type	Notes
DLC	Includes several time-limited starter pack DLCs, and a free PSO2 Data DLC.
Free-to-play	The game is a free-to-play title, with microtransactions in the form of the premium AC currency that can be brought with real money. Some scratch ticket pulls requires the use of AC currency.
Subscription	While not required for playing PSO2 and NGS, the Premium Set has numerous premium perks. The validity of Premium Set ranging from 30 days, 60 days and 90 days. Can only be purchased in-game using AC currency.

DLC and expansion packs

Name	Notes
PSO2 Data	A free DLC that is required for accessing the original PSO2.

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

System	Location
Windows	%USERPROFILE%\Documents\SEGA\PHANTASYSTARONLINE2\user.pso2
Epic Games Launcher	%USERPROFILE%\Documents\SEGA\PHANTASYSTARONLINE2_NA_EPICGAMES\user.pso2
Microsoft Store	%USERPROFILE%\Documents\SEGA\PHANTASYSTARONLINE2_NA\user.pso2
Steam	%USERPROFILE%\Documents\SEGA\PHANTASYSTARONLINE2_NA_STEAM\user.pso2
Steam Play (Linux)	<Steam-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/1056640/pfx/

Save game cloud syncing

System	Native	Notes
Epic Games Launcher		Since this is an online-only game hosted on SEGA's Global game servers, all game data is saved on the server only.
Steam Cloud		Since this is an online-only game hosted on SEGA's Global game servers, all game data is saved on the server only.
Xbox Cloud		Since this is an online-only game hosted on SEGA's Global game servers, all game data is saved on the server only.

Video

Graphics settings (NGS; October 5, 2022 update)

Graphics feature	State	Notes
Widescreen resolution		Aspect ratios narrower than 16:9 are letterboxed in pre-rendered cutscenes.
Multi-monitor
Ultra-widescreen		In-game cutscenes when in aspect ratios wider than 16:9 are pillarboxed, while pre-rendered cutscenes are stretched to the aspect ratio wider than 16:9.
4K Ultra HD		Game auto detects resolution when using borderless option.
Field of view (FOV)		Can increase FOV during boss fights with "Boss Camera Controls" option. Toggleable on or off.
Windowed
Borderless fullscreen windowed		Referred to as "Virtual Full Screen Mode".
Anisotropic filtering (AF)		Referred to as "Texture Filter". Options for 4x, 8x, and 16x.
Anti-aliasing (AA)		Options for FXAA, TAA, and TAA + FXAA.
High-fidelity upscaling		DLSS 2.2, FSR 1.0 DLSS and FSR support added in the February 9th, 2022 update.
Vertical sync (Vsync)		Proper Vsync support added in the December 15th, 2021 update. Has two options, "On" and "Compulsory On". "Compulsory On" forces Vsync regardless of processing load.
60 FPS and 120+ FPS		Choice between 30, 60, 90, 120, 144, 165 FPS or Unrestricted. Cutscenes and Live Concerts are capped at 60 FPS.
High dynamic range display (HDR)		Added in the October 5th, 2022 update. Can be accessed by enabling HDR in System > Display in Windows Settings. Has adjustable sliders for "Reference White Level", "Maximum Luminance", and "Saturation".

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  External display settings

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  General settings (PSO2 Tweaker; NGS Launch)

High frame rate

Instructions
Go to the configuration file(s) location, and open user.pso2 with a text editor. Change the FrameKeep = xxx value to the desired framerate cap. Save the file. By default, FrameKeep= xxx is set to "60", but can be completely uncapped by using "0".

Input

Camera and interface settings (NGS)

Keyboard and mouse	State	Notes
Remapping		Keys can be completely rebound for Standard View, Over-the-Shoulder View, windows, shortcuts, and emotes.
Mouse acceleration
Mouse sensitivity		Referred to as "Mouse Rotation Correction". Can be adjusted separately for Standard View and Over-the-Shoulder View.
Mouse input in menus
Mouse Y-axis inversion		Referred to as "Camera Rotation (Up/Down)". Can be inverted separately for Standard View and Over-the-Shoulder View.
Controller
Controller support
Full controller support		A keyboard and mouse is required to input characters and access the external launcher.
Controller remapping		Controls can be completely remapped for Standard View, Over-the-Shoulder View, and windows.
Controller sensitivity		Referred to as "Camera Rotation Speed". Can be adjusted separately for Standard View and Over-the-Shoulder View.
Controller Y-axis inversion		Referred to as "Camera Rotation (Up/Down)". Can be inverted separately for Standard View and Over-the-Shoulder View.

Controller types

XInput-compatible controllers
Xbox button prompts		Set "Control Display Type" to "Letters" in System/Support Menu > Control Settings.
Impulse Trigger vibration

DualShock 4 controllers
DualShock button prompts		Set "Control Display Type" to "Symbols" in System/Support Menu > Control Settings..
Light bar support
Connection modes	V2, Bluetooth

Generic/other controllers
Button prompts		For generic prompts, set "Control Display Type" to "Numbers" in System/Support Menu > Control Settings.

Additional information
Controller hotplugging
Haptic feedback		Added in New Genesis update.
Simultaneous controller+KB/M

Audio

Sound settings (NGS; August 8, 2022 update)

Audio feature	State	Notes
Separate volume controls		Sliders for BGM, Sound Effects, Voice (Player Character and Other Characters replaced the Voice volume setting in the August 8, 2022 update), and In-Game Video Playback. Can be changed both in-game and from the external launcher.
Surround sound		Plays up to 5.0. Toggleable both in-game and from the external launcher.
Subtitles		Cutscenes and voiced NPC quotes only. Cannot be disabled.
Closed captions
Mute on focus lost		Referred to as "Global Focus Sound". Can be toggled on or off.
Royalty free audio

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  External sound settings

Localizations

Language settings (NGS)

For the Global version, an option to use the Japanese server's UI fonts for both PSO2 and NGS can be found here (both games), here (PSO2 only) and here (PSO2 only). PSO2 Tweaker is required to use these mods.

Language	UI	Audio	Sub	Notes
English				Southeast Asia server only.
English				Global server only.
English				Unofficial translation of the Japanese server.
Traditional Chinese				Taiwan and Hong Kong servers only.
Japanese				Japanese and Global servers only.
Thai				Thai server only.

Network

Multiplayer types

Type	Native	Players	Notes
LAN play
Online play		32	According to the August 3, 2022 update, the maximum possible players the game can load in high detail is 32 in exploration sectors in NGS and 50 in PSO2 and lobbies in PSO2. Solo and story quests are single player only, up to 4 people in single party areas and single party quests, up to 8 people in some multi-party quests and combat sectors, up to 12 people in multi-party areas and most multi-party quests, up to 24 players in certain limited-time multi-party quests, up to 32 people in exploration sectors. Crossplay is available in the Global server between PC, Xbox One and PS4 players, as well as PC and PS4 players in the Japanese server. However, cloud blocks in the Japanese server may have crossplay between PC, PS4 and Switch players.

Connection types

Type	Native	Notes
Peer-to-peer
Dedicated
Self-hosting
Direct IP

It is impossible to play cross-region. Region transfer of account data is also impossible.

VR support

3D modes	State	Notes
Nvidia 3D Vision
TriDef 3D

Issues unresolved

In-game FPS does not match specified FPS

Due to how the game handles its FPS setting, capping the framerate at, for example, 120FPS will actually result in a framerate cap of 100FPS.

The unofficial English launcher is able to automatically partially-compensate for this.

Achievements not unlocking when using the Account Link option from the Xbox One or Windows Store

When using the Account Link option to transfer progress between versions, achievements won't automatically unlock based on in-game progress.

Issues fixed

Cannot enable the Steam Overlay

Without launching the game directly from pso2.exe, the Steam Overlay will not appear in-game.

Bypass the launcher[citation needed]

Exit from Steam. Open the properties by right-clicking on Steam.exe. From the Compatibility tab, check the Run this program as an administrator option. Launch Steam. Click the Games menu, then choose Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library. Click on BROWSE... and select pso2.exe from the list of programs. Click on ADD SELECTED PROGRAMS. Right-click the added pso2, and choose Properties. Rename it to Phantasy Star Online 2. Then, click the SET LAUNCH OPTIONS..., enter +0x33aca2b9 -reboot -optimize, then click OK. Open the control panel, then select System. Click on Advanced system settings, and then click Environment Variables.... Click on the New... in the "System variables" section. Enter -pso2 to the Variable name, and enter +0x01e3f1e9 to the Variable value. Click OK. Notes Even with this fix, using the game's launcher to receive the latest updates is still required. This fix is unnecessary if the unofficial English launcher's "Steam Mode" is being used. This fix is also unnecessary with the official Steam version of the game.

Other information

API

Technical specs	Supported	Notes
Direct3D	11

Executable	32-bit	64-bit	Notes
Windows			Since the Feburary 2021 update, 32-bit executables are not longer available for the Japanese version of the game. The Japan-only cloud client of the game still support the 32-bit OS. Global version only has 64-bit executables.

Middleware

	Middleware	Notes
Audio	CRI ADX2, Vivox	Vivox was added with the New Genesis update for voice communication in the Japanese version. It was implemented in the Global version.
Cutscenes	CRI Sofdec2
Multiplayer	Xbox Live, Steamworks, Epic Online Services	Global version only.
Anti-cheat	GameGuard

System requirements

Windows
	Minimum	Recommended
Operating system (OS)	10
Processor (CPU)	Intel Core i3-4150	Intel Core i9-10900
System memory (RAM)	8 GB	16 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD)	65 GB (With NGS data)	121 GB (With NGS and PSO2 data)
Video card (GPU)	Nvidia GeForce GT 430 AMD Radeon HD 5570 DirectX 11 compatible	Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
Sound (audio device)	DirectX 9.0c compatible
Other	Broadband Internet connection 1280x720 display	1920x1080 display

A 64-bit operating system is required.

Windows 7 and 8.1 are able to run the game, but are not officially supported.

With the New Genesis update, the AVX instruction is required as well.