Sega has announced the commencement of beta testing for the new PC version of Phantasy Star Online Episodes I & II in Japan. Though the Phantasy Star Online series was ported to other consoles before its death on the Dreamcast, it has suffered a recent decline in activity. Sega plans to take advantage of the greater graphical capabilities and interface flexibility in order to revitalize the community and draw in new players.
The new PC version will allow for mouse and/or keyboard control, as well as handy hotkeys to facilitate smoother and more convenient gameplay. In addition to this, player data will be stored on PSO's servers as a measure against cheating, a problem that has traditionally been a black mark for many MMORPGs. To further delight players, the PC version will be based off of March's Xbox release, including the bonus quests said version has received since then.
As per usual, there has been no official word of a North American or European release, but Sega has revealed that they hope to expand the series to the rest of eastern Asia. No tentative release dates have been set.
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