Square-Enix Kicks off classic PS1 releases with Xenogears

According to a NeoGAF posting, this month's Dengeki PlayStation reveals the very first PS1 games Square Enix will revive on the Japanese PSN. The titles will be available for 600 yen each, and will begin releasing in Japan today. There are twelve titles planned, starting with Xenogears. However, there are a number of other titles to be released today, such as Einhander, Astronoka, Rakugaki Showtime, Raystorm and Fighters Impact. While none of these titles feature the words "Final" or "Fantasy" in them, many are considered classics of the PS1 era. Titles like Xenogears can be pretty rare, so these re-releases are of great convenience to those that missed them at first. At only 600 yen each, this is an incredible bargain, especially when one considers the ability to play these downloadables on both the PS3 and on the go with the PSP.

Unfortunately, SCEA and Square Enix USA haven't announced any similar plans to release English language versions of these classics. We hope that they follow suit soon.

[Ri0tSquad]

That sucksss so much

[TheHater]

Couldn't agree more. I hope they can release some of the final fantasy games on the psn. Final Fantasy VII and VIII would be nice. :)

[JasonXE]

Its like how xbl is to America as psn is to japan. The home region is going to get loads more of content compare to other regions. SCEJ thanks america support of the ps3 so they can give more stuff/content to Japan and boost there economy, arigato fan-roboto!

[Megaton]

Completely agree. I hate reading articles like this because it makes me jealous of the JPSN. Our selection of PS1 titles in America is absolutely abysmal (with the exception of Castlevania).

[callahan09]

RAKUGAKI SHOWTIME!!

Love the hell outta that game. I'm totally going to download it from the Japanese PSN store. I have an original Japanese copy for my PSone still, but can't play it anymore due to a lack of JP PS console.

I forgot that game was published by Enix! Classic Treasure gaming goodness.

[kira989]

AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!

[BilI Gates]

Dude the Japanese Store is freaking FLOODED with PS1 classics that I'd like to buy. This isn't fair.

[TheHater]

is it just me, or does the Japanese plyatation store have more contents that the European and American store combine?

[Dark-Angel09]

I say the same thing... I wish that a lot of the PS1 games on the JPN Store would make it to the US Store

[BilI Gates]

It's not just you. I was in that store earlier and man they've got a lot of great stuff in there. I want Policenauts so bad.

They've got more trailers, more demos, more wallpapers, more PS1 classics.. If you were to actually take the time to look through the store in every section and every folder, you'd see that they have a lot more stuff than we do. Now I wish I was Japanese.

[KillaManiac]

Wheres our Biohazard!!!! (RES EVIL for you noobs).

[Ninja-Sama]

my favourite game ever on the PS1.

[Millah]

One of my favorite games of all time!

[LeShin]

Xenogears......the only RPG to this day I've completed 6 times beginning to end!!

SCEE even though I've still got my original copy, you better bring this to the PSN!!!!!!!!

Throw in Parasite Eve as well while you're at it!

[Skerj]

Agreed and bubbled to you all, favorite RPG of all time. There are so many things in the game that are just mindblowing and as of yet untouched (SMT games come damn close though). I own 2 copies both mint and one still sealed, the perfect works book, and too much Xenogears paraphernalia. This seriously needs to hit the US PSN so everyone can see what the TRUE RPG for the PS1 was, sorry FFVII Xenogears has you beat by a long shot.

[Kratos_1986]

i also want the resident evil classics

[KillaManiac]

Heck yea, been watching playthroughs of all the Res Evil 1-3 on PS1 on Youtube lately.

Bubbles for the Res Evil classic fan!

[SpartanGR]

I'm not gonna wait for them to wake up (us/europe psn). I've just bought a huge collection -all of them actually- of jrpg's for the ps1. I'll play them either there (psone) or on my ps2

[ThatArtGuy]

Problem is that I can't read Japanese.

[Shaka2K6]

Its a classic for those people that know about real gaming.

[Veryangryxbot]

Xbots am CRY!

They dont even realize that PS3 just got one of the best RPGs of all times EVER.

OWNED

Not buying. I still have the original CDs. But for those who missed it first time, GET IT NOW.

[Dir_en_grey]

Sony USA is just hurting themselves by not releasing PS1 titles.
Who knows how many people are pirating FF7 and MGS1 on their PSP's right now.
Only if Sony USA get their act together and release PS1 titles like they do in Japan...
Somebody start a petition for faster release and more PS1 games on PSN and I'll be the first one to sign.

[Charlie2688]

You DO realize that for many of those games to be released there has to be some sort of licensing deal between the original dev and Sony right? and what could be an easy deal between SCEJ and Square Enix might not be so easy as with SCEA and Square Enix? how do you know its not that japanese dev that wont license the game for a release outside Japan?

not because we want it to happened its going to happened even if sounds unfair or bad but there is a LOT of crap behind the curtains in the video game world for stuff to happened and LOT of gamers ignore that for example like the delusion of thinking Sony should make a trade in program for the DS3...sounded fair, rational even but in reality it was brutally unrealistic and completely one sided

[Dir_en_grey]

You work out those deals, that's why they are called professionals...
Though the work ethics probably sux compared to their Japanese counterparts.

Why would Japanese companies not license a game out side of Japan if they already did on the Japanese PSN, and the game has already been translated and released on US PS1 10 years ago?

Why not talk about how inefficient US PSN updates only once a week with their on going delays, while the Japan PSN just updates throughout the week whenever there is new content. You want to blame that on the Japanese devs too?

If people don't b^tch about how slow western PSN's work, it would take them even longer to get off their ass and bring stuff out anyway.

[Charlie2688]

"You work out those deals" you see that is the one sided part of this kind of things were you are only thinking as a gamer but not the people that could do it as I have said countless times and liked I said before how do you know its simply X dev not wanting to do it?, how do you know they tried to do it but the dev refused? take RE Zero for the Wii for example Capcom already said "its only for Japan period" like you mentioned the game was already released 6 years ago in english and yet..its NOT COMING and like so many other games probably will NEVER do (Tales of Symphonia for the PS2 rings any bells? a game that would have sold a LOT better on NA on the PS2 than GC and yet NEVER came?)

Sony, MS or Nintendo can only try but its up to the holder of the license to do it they are the ones people should be sending stupid petitions and b_tching to since they are the one that can REALISTICALLY make it happened, how do you know SE is not happy with wanting to release the game on Japan alone? and I bet the licensing contract for its PSN release is very specific or Sony would have already released in NA and EU

for example I could be b_tching and making petitions right now to make "Sony USA get their act together" and release Super Robot Wars MX for the PSP on NA or Super Robot Wars Alpha Gaiden on the NA PSN store but sadly due to the behind the curtains process it involves its NEVER gonna happen cuz its not up to them

in this case of old games for a PSN only re-release it turns more into a "favor" by the dev since many will not sell very well as opposed of asking a dev to port a current gen title to another and I bet you many of the Japanese only PSN release were thought by the holder of the IP that it would be probably the only market it would be worth the profit..or for the millionth time they would have released it in other territories

At the end this sort of things are not that easy as many people think and pretending they are easy wont change things

[PikkonX]

I wish someone in the industry who does interviews or who has direct connections with Sony would ask them what the hold up is with the PS1 releases. There should be hundreds of titles available by now. I can understand licensing issues, but what's the excuse for the titles that were published/developed by Sony (FF7/Legend of Dragoon) not being available either? There's quite a few of the more obscure RPGs that I'd like to catch up on without going the PSP route.

[Silogon]

Doesn't suprise me that we're not getting this. We're not getting any Ps1 games and that sucks all around the house. It makes no sense to region whore these awesome games out.

[Blackcanary]

What you said is so true we should just have one Universal PS store like MS have is it that had.

[TheHater]

MS don't have a universal Xbox live Market place.
The Last Remnant Demo was release on the Japanese Marketplace, but not the European or American Marketplace.

[Blackcanary]

My bad i thought they did i may have a 360 but i've never used the market places i need to stop listening to what people say next time.

But would it be hard to do a PS store thats like ebay universal i can't buy nothing from the USA store cause of my billing address. thats cause i live in the UK and also cause i have a SOLO card lol

[Charlie2688]

Sadly right now its seems impossible to have an Universal PSN by the simple detail of licensing stuff and how those are affected by the individual SCEA, SCEE, SCEJ and lets no even go to individual country limitations or the approval and/or testing procedures of each territory among many other things,

things would have to be massively delayed so every single part could potentially be in rule for a universal release (and there is no guarantee all will be able to do it)

and like I said before sounds great and fair to have it but sadly right now its unrealistic

[Nathaniel_Drake]

It combines philosophy, religion in such a way that makes you have so many gut wrenching moments in the game, with so much emphasis on the story and character detail, I just wish this was continued on the PS2, but Xenosaga is also good

Also my favorite composer Yasunori Mitsuda did an amazing job on the music as usual.

What can I say I love this game!!!! =)

[SmokingMonkey]

on more time

CHRONO f!ckin TRIGGER

[tweaker]

If they want our money, release these babies on the US/EU PSN Store.

[whatis]

Some of the PS1 games they have on there already are Alundra, Resident Evil 1 + 2 and Metal gear Solid.

[Blackcanary]

They have alundra stop it i love that game that game was so cool and still is i need that game on my PS3 damn it Sony u need to start playing Catch up fast SCEA and SCEE.

[hotrider12]

there is a japanese video game shop in china town that sells every game you guys talking about. alundra, metal gear solid , resident evil 1,2. chrono trigger,FF7, XENOGEARS and Einhander for ps1 consoles, with a modd placement cover for 49.00 if you wish to play those games on your ps2. but each game is like 50-75.00 each / cant afford to pay 75.00 for one japanese game

[Dir_en_grey]

For that kinda price might as well pay a little more and buy a Japanese PSN card and just use that.
Although I think for most people the problem is the language...

[SmokingMonkey]

make a PSN HONG KONG account and set teh language to english, and u can set your credit card to it. and spend spend spend. silent bomber, samurai shodown 1-4, guilty gear, fatal fury, etc

also the PS1 files transfer to your PSP, same game on the go, no 2 player for some games tho (bummer) but this is still a great feature that they need to expand on. Bring more PS1 games please. Not even the mighty nintendo wii and ds can do this function or remote play, and people still say PS3 is not a "for gaming"

[Antan]

Xenogears and Einhander were magnificent games! Musically they were both absolute classics! I shall await their appearance!!

[CBaoth]

throw in front mission 3 and chronotrigger and you got my 3 fav RPGs & fav shooter all time from square w/o the initials FF on the box. C'mon Square, instead of complaining about your profit margin, why don't you actually release the games we want over here in NA and EU?

[J@D]

Hopefully S-E NA may announce something on they NA site soon.

[Baka-akaB]

Even in jap its awesome of SE to re-release the best jrpg ever .

[hotrider12]

Dir_en_grey - 3 hours ago

- Sounds like a place that rips you off...
For that kinda price might as well pay a little more and buy a Japanese PSN card and just use that.
Although I think for most people the problem is the language

yeah, man it is expensive where can u buy the japanese card?? wal-mart?? I know when the ps4 comes out Im sure each game be 70.00 then

[Luca Blight]

Like Rakugaki Showtime developed by one of the best devs ever (Treasure)?

[kewlkat007]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Give me a final Fantasy bundle up to 10.

Xenogears is great as well...

Anyone knows hows to transfer a PS2 game save unto the PS3?

[Skerj]

You have to buy that little USB memory card box to do so, it's around $14.99 (should knock 10 dorras off). A lot of people just bought it, transferred all their saves and returned it. For some reason I still have mine even though I've had no need to use it since the first time.

[kewlkat007]

ill buy it off of ya...