Based on my experience playing the Japanese version, Sega’s Phantasy Star Online 2 is a prime example of a good free-to-play model. The game doesn’t milk you for money around every corner. It doesn’t lock away content or progression. But that doesn’t mean you won’t want to spend your hard-earned cash on some in-game costumes, consumables or quality of life perks. And Sega knows that, which is why it just announced a Founder’s Pack for PSO2 called, quite appropriately, the “Sonic Collaboration Pack.”
The “Sonic Collaboration Edition” of PSO2 is geared at Sonic fans, but it includes a wealth of other … [+]
Sega
With a selection of Sonic the Hedgehog suits, hairstyles, emotes, masks and of course a Sonic Knucles Weapon Camo, it’s obviously targeted at fans of the blue blur. But even if you strip all of that away, the $59.99 asking price is a value once you start looking at the consumables, 30-day Premium Pack and inventory expansions.
The Sonic Collaboration Edition is loaded with useful (and just fun) in-game goodies
Sega
For me, the most crucial value lies in those inventory and storage expansions. While Phantasy Star Online 2 makes it easy to send all manner of items from your “on-person” inventory to your character and general storage vaults, you’ll quickly find your default 50-item inventory space filling up rapidly — especially during Urgent Quests, Bonus Missions and high-level exploration. Now you can stock more on your character itself, and instantly unlock an additional 250 slots for your character’s expanded storage.
500 Grinders are a nice little bonus, too. So are those 12 AC Scratch tickets. Consumables like EXP Earned and Triboosts you’ll accumulate just from playing, but more of them never hurts.
All in, these items could run as high as $100 if purchased separately. For PSO2 fans who know they’re going to be sinking their teeth and free time into the game once the open beta launches on March 17 for Xbox, it’s probably a no-brainer.
Even if you have zero interest in the Sonic items, combining the real-world cost of just the Inventory Expansion, AC Scratch Tickets and Premium Set comes to roughly $65 to $75.
Phantasy Star Online 2’s open beta launches on Xbox One March 17, and for PC “Spring 2020.”
