Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis is a free-to-play online action/RPG, well known for its unparalleled character customization and battle action which captivated the world.

This update may come as a surprise to those of you who are still playing Episode 3. In Japan, PSO2 recently celebrated its 8th anniversary and is gearing up for the end of Episode 6. Because the game system and graphics engine were created eight years ago, they may seem unrefined to modern players, especially to those of you whose adventures just began with the North American version. This is why the development team is preparing a massive update instead of a new episode—to give PSO2 the renewal it deserves.

We are proud to present this dramatic evolution to you as Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis. 

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Phantasy Star Online, we will be aiming for even greater heights and reshaping the story, game system, graphics engine, and character creation system. PSO2 will be reborn as an open-field online RPG, with a renewed battle system and game system to match!

You can continue to enjoy the original PSO2 even after PSO2: NGS has been released. Accounts that have been playing PSO2 will be able to hop between PSO2: NGS and PSO2.

SEGA shared new details in today's NGS Headline about the upcoming Slayer Class and April update coming to Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis, the free-to-play online action RPG game.

Slayer Comes to PSO2: NGS on April 12!

The new Slayer class comes to Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis on April 12! This ranged class uses the new Gunblade weapon category and specializes in weaving together a variety of Actions for quick sequences of attacks. In addition, players can switch between Photon Arts abilities with the directional inputs, enabling a wide array of Actions and making it easy to use the right ability in any situation. Certain Class Skills also get a boost to Critical Hit Rate or a bonus when a Critical Hit is landed, and players still get these effects when Slayer is set as a Sub-Class.

From April 5, players can get their hands on the new Gunblade weapon category via in-game drops or by completing tasks. However, Gunblades can't be equipped and tasks from Instructor Slaine can't be accepted until April 12, the day the Slayer is unleashed. The new Exchange Shop, Slayer Operation Prep Ticket Exchange, will also be added to the Item Trader on April 5. Players can trade for a slew of Gunblades and Weapon Camo using the Slayer Operation Prep Tickets to get ready for Slayer! Players can also trade these Tickets for valuable items like Special Scratch Tickets and Arms Refiner II.

Chapter 5 Takes Players to Leceil

Chapter 5 of the main story is also on its way. Starting April 5, the newest chapter takes players to the huge structure floating in the sky, which they may have seen looming ominously over the field. How will the protagonists get to the "floating island" known as Leceil and what lies in store for them inside? The secrets of Halpha, long shrouded in mystery, will finally be revealed.

PSO2: NGS Kicks off 2nd Anniversary!

NGS will celebrate its second anniversary this June but festivities are starting early with a variety of events and activities that will kick off at the end of April!

Starting April 19, the 2nd Anniversary limited-time celebrations will include:

• Central City, the open field, and Region Mags will all be "phabulously" decorated!
• Award-winning DOLLS Rappy flaps onto the scene! AvaikaofStarFox's design won the Excellence Award in the Rappy Design Contest!
• The navigator for this event is Xiemi, who will be wearing the winning design from the PSO2 10th Anniversary Item Design Contest. Enemies have been getting stronger lately and she needs your help to strengthen our forces.
• New items in the Seasonal Points Exchange Shop.
• New 8-star Revita Series weapons that have the effect of recovering HP and come with the Augment Dark Exploit II.
• A new Augment Sezun Segundanifiv to become even more powerful!
• Peppy Rappy needs your help in the Happy Rappy Rumble limited-time Urgent Quest! The quest will be to defeat 300 enemies attracted by the experiment, and at the end of the quest, the event's exclusive boss enemy, Resplendent Ams, will appear. Resplendent Ams may drop accessories that bare a resemblance to it.

And that's just the start! See all that's coming to PSO2: NGS in April and beyond, like new features and improvements, Duel Quests, more Limited-Time quests, and new Scratch Ticket collections, in the above NGS Headline.

With the new graphics engine comes enhanced character models. In addition to the features present in the current character creation system, you'll now have even more detailed options, like changing the luster of your character's skin. Characters will also be able to move their fingers now! Furthermore, you'll be able to wear more accessories—as well as change their locations—creating even more customized characters. Because PSO2: NGS's character creation system is compatible with that of PSO2, players are free to decide which one they want to use.

Finally, PSO2's core graphics engine will also be overhauled, allowing you to use characters created with PSO2: NGS's system within PSO2 as well. Naturally, ALL character creation info from PSO2 (including items linked to emotes and other previously registered data) will be compatible with PSO2: NGS!

Because PSO2: NGS and PSO2 will have different game systems, some of their respective elements will be incompatible. The following points will summarize what we can announce at this time.

Key Features:

• Free to play!
• Huge wide-open battlefield environments! Explore a whole new world featuring broad, expansive playfields filled with ferocious enemies waiting for you and your team. Traverse wide-open environments, speed and soar across the giant landscape and skies with new special abilities. Transitioning into a new area is as simple as walking into it -- no loading screens.
• Enhanced character models! Create your identity with any character you can imagine in PSO2:NGS using the powerful creation engine. Adjust every imaginable characteristic to create your one-of-a-kind avatar.
• Redesigned graphics engine! Witness lush environments, amazingly detailed player characters, and monstrous foes in razor-sharp resolution. Watch spectacular new lighting and particle effects as weapons clash with armor. See the world as you've never seen it before.
• New multi-weapon system and abilities! Combine 2 types of weapons for smoother weapon switching. Battle at lightning speed using a variety of weapons and techniques.
• Connects with PSO2! Move easily in-game between PSO2:NGS and PSO2.
• Cross-platform! PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 players can play together side by side.

Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis is available for PS4, Xbox One (will support Xbox Series X|S in the future) and PC with cross-platform play.