Topic: Skies of Arcadia Legends Re-release in Japan

[TheYoungerPlumber]

As they say, the third time's the charm!

In the year 2000, Overworks and Sega released Skies of Arcadia, a critically acclaimed traditional RPG, for the Dreamcast.  The title sold less than expected on Sega’s faltering system, and, confident in the game’s quality, the companies brought an extended version of the game to the GameCube early last year.  Unfortunately, Skies of Arcadia Legends (known as Eternal Arcadia Legends in Japan) suffered from the same lackluster performance in stores as its older Dreamcast brother and remained largely unappreciated.

In spite of poor sales around the world, Sega and Overworks (now part of Sega Wow) refuse to give up.  Sega is releasing an “inexpensive version” of their cult classic in Japan for the low, low price of 2,800 yen (around $25 USD) on May 20.

The development team has previously expressed interest in continuing the Skies of Arcadia saga, citing poor sales as their only major deterrant.  A successful re-release of the GameCube title could be the green light Sega Wow has been waiting for.

[Procession]

Only a fool would miss this game third time around. For those of you that don't have it, buy it. You certainly won't regret it.  

[joshnickerson]

Ha, I actually started a thread about re-releasing good games that sold poorly mere minutes before this story popped up. (http://www.planetgamecube.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=3&threadid=8368)
Maybe wishful thinking DOES work?  

[TheYoungerPlumber]

Yeah, and I had just mention Skies of Arcadia with the whole "Who should do Mario RPG" Louie RUMAR discussion.

[The Omen]

They better release it here discounted.  I'm tired of inquiring "Why are the used copies of SOA 44.99?" , and getting the "Because they dont sell" logic.

[CaseyRyback]

Its sad that overall SEGA's best games do not sell. PSO, Skies, and Panzer are all fantastic(have not played Skies yet but own it ). Panzer Dragoon Orta is one of my favorite titles and yet it gets no love. I wish people would give SEGA the attention they deserve.

[Ian Sane]

"Panzer Dragoon Orta is one of my favorite titles and yet it gets no love. I wish people would give SEGA the attention they deserve."

Maybe they should have released that on, you know, not the Xbox.  I mean that userbase is by far has the most "western" tastes of the three consoles and thus naturally would be the least appreciative of hardcore Japanese games like Shenmue II, Panzer Dragoon Orta, or Jet Set Radio Future.  I guess because of Skies sales one could argue the Cube would have been a poor choice for those games as well but the strong sales of the Sonic and Monkey Ball games indicate to me that as long as they're marketed well Sega games can sell on the Cube.

Anyway I hope that this re-release pays off and hopefully the other regions will get a re-release too.  However Sega has to advertise it.  Still even if they don't I imagine the game will initially sell well with all the people who missed it the first time and have been trying to buy it since.

[Arbok]

Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
Maybe they should have released that on, you know, not the Xbox.  I mean that userbase is by far has the most "western" tastes of the three consoles and thus naturally would be the least appreciative of hardcore Japanese games like Shenmue II, Panzer Dragoon Orta, or Jet Set Radio Future.

Atari/Infogrames has made this mistake as well when they ported over a enhanced version of Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee to the Xbox. The producers actually expected the port to sell as well as the GCN version... I mean, really? First off, its a port which took awhile to come out, second off, Xbox (as Ian Sane mentioned) is about as "western" as you can get in terms of video game tastes. So the port bombs... but, what pisses me off, is that companies refuse to go screaming to the media over their lack of success with the Xbox on particular titles, when GCN's lack of success with particular genres seems widespread in terms of video game news.  What really makes me mad though is that these companies fail to drop support for the Xbox beacuse of it as well. -_-'

[Uncle Rich AiAi]

I REALLY hope Skies gets some sales in Japan.  I really do.

I am currently playing this game (over 50 hours), and love it so much.  That fact Sega is re-releasing it shows that Sega Wow want to do a sequel. And if that does happen, it will make me a happy boy! How about a Skies game with Gilder as the main character?

"C'mon, dance for me!"  

[Pale]

I thought Gilder was kind of a prick...I just want the sequel to have Fina, pirate outfit and all, and I'll be happy.  

[Jonnyboy117]

Quote
Originally posted by: CaseyRyback
Its sad that overall SEGA's best games do not sell. PSO, Skies, and Panzer are all fantastic(have not played Skies yet but own it ). Panzer Dragoon Orta is one of my favorite titles and yet it gets no love. I wish people would give SEGA the attention they deserve.

HINT: Sega sucks at marketing.  See: Dreamcast.

[DrZoidberg]

Quote
Originally posted by: PaleZer0
I thought Gilder was kind of a prick...I just want the sequel to have Fina, pirate outfit and all, and I'll be happy.

>=O blasphemy! Gilder is damn cool! i'm also hoping this re-release makes it NTSC and PAL sides, especially PAL, *see various rants on the subject*

[KDR_11k]

You mean Australian, there's no shortage here.