Gaming Sword Art Online Video Games

[ponygals]

I am thinking of buying the PSVita or 3DSXL just getting one or the other. The PSVita has 2 games I am interested in, Sword Art Online Hollow Fragment and Sword Art Online Lost Song. But I wondered, where can I find these games exactly? Can I buy them at the store or just online only?

Also are there any good bundle packages with the console and a game included?

 

[vayanui8]

digital only

 

[ponygals]

Oh I see.

 

[jag272]

Hollow Fragment western release is digital only or physical if you import asian version from playasia and the like.

Lost Song currently has an Asian physical release but no word of when or in what form the western release will manifest, other than that its been pretty much confirmed but not committed too by the devs behind it.

 

[Nathan Drake]

For Lost Song, an English subbed version can be bought online, so basically as English as a localized version would be anyways. It will be a tiny bit expensive because you're ordering a copy of the game from overseas, but worth the cost of admission if you're a fan. From what I've seen of it, the translation for Lost Song is actually a good one too, unlike the halfassed translation that Hollow Fragment got. Otherwise Hollow Fragment is digital only if you want English, which I assume you do. There are no system bundles that include one or both of these games.

 

[jag272]

For Lost Song, an English subbed version can be bought online, so basically as English as a localized version would be anyways. It will be a tiny bit expensive because you're ordering a copy of the game from overseas, but worth the cost of admission if you're a fan. From what I've seen of it, the translation for Lost Song is actually a good one too, unlike the halfassed translation that Hollow Fragment got. Otherwise Hollow Fragment is digital only if you want English, which I assume you do. There are no system bundles that include one or both of these games.

Ye, one of the lead director's or something (I forget the guys title, a quick google will find the various articles about it though) openly admitted the translation on HF was pretty bad. Personally I'm holding out for the western release of Lost Song, I heard the asian version translation is much improved but I'm interested to see if they improve it further for western release or not, otherwise it seems a bit odd holding off on releasing or even announcing western Lost Song, they know for sure theres a market for it now because of Hollow Fragment's sales.

 

[Nathan Drake]

Ye, one of the lead director's or something (I forget the guys title, a quick google will find the various articles about it though) openly admitted the translation on HF was pretty bad. Personally I'm holding out for the western release of Lost Song, I heard the asian version translation is much improved but I'm interested to see if they improve it further for western release or not, otherwise it seems a bit odd holding off on releasing or even announcing western Lost Song, they know for sure theres a market for it now because of Hollow Fragment's sales.

I have a feeling the localized version is just going to be the already English version. I don't foresee them making any edits really, unless there are cultural jokes they want to change or anything like that. I do find it odd that the game is entirely in English though, yet there is no word on when it's being localized anywhere. It just seems weird.

 

[jag272]

Ye I agree, I don't believe they made any changes to the western release of Hollow Fragment, some people said there were a few changes here or there such as the "penetrating" thing but I haven't had time to play through the game yet since buying it recently. I'm just not sure what they have up their sleeve since a fully English translated version exists, they've already filed for trademark in NA (perhaps waiting on the legal side of it) so I'm personally holding off until we know what they're actually doing.

It could also be that they're trying to source servers as I believe in the producer's video of the game he said theres actual online play now so perhaps they want to put up local master servers in the west.

Either way there's some reason they haven't announced it yet and it is indeed strange since the translation is sitting there completed. It's probably not a big enough deal for it to matter as to whether you buy western or import the asian version, just keep it in mind OP as we don't know what they're actually doing currently.

Edit:
I suspect they are waiting for legalities. Did a little reading about the trademarking process and found this:

In addition, you should receive an initial response from the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) within approximately three months of filing the application. However, the total application processing time may be anywhere from 6 months to a year, or even longer. Most applications are processed completely in slightly less than one year.

https://www.legalzoom.com/knowledge/trademark/faq/how-long-register-trademark

Considering they say initial response is within 3 months, that could even be why Hollow Fragment was 3 months late here, though I think that was more so a result of them testing the market. The news articles about Bamco filing for Lost Song trademark in EU and NA are all around the very start of February, the one I'm looking at was 2nd of Feb. Were just past the 3 month mark currently.

 

[jag272]

Seems it just got announced: http://gematsu.com/2015/05/sword-art-online-re-hollow-fragment-lost-song-announced-ps4-coming-west
Autumn 2015 for Lost Song, theyre also re-releasing hollow fragment for PS4 Summer 2014.

The official bamco link sourced appears to be down however: Scratch that, article has a bad link, here it is
https://www.bandainamcoent.eu/news/...art-online-lost-song-to-arrive-in-europe/5108

Official website is now up too: http://www.swordartonline-game.com/lost-song/

 

[Nathan Drake]

Awwww yeah. I hope the re-release of Hollow Fragment fixes the translation. I'll buy it again if it's actually passable this go 'round.

Edit: What bothers me is that I can't find an official Bamco news source actually mentioning North America. All of them seem focused on Europe and Australia. I mean, I guess we can assume that means the NA version is on the horizon as well, but it doesn't sit well that it's strangely absent from all but a single article. Even the official site for Lost Song doesn't have an ESRB rating box, but only rating standards such as PEGI for Europe.

Edit 2: Finally found it, although it's on the official Bandai Namco tumblr, but whatever, official news is official news.

 

[ponygals]

So you guys said its in English the Hollow Fragment version is that English voices or just the text?

 

[Nathan Drake]

Just the text. None of the SAO games localized or to be localized will have English voice overs. It's too expensive for games as risky as anime related games, regardless of how popular Hollow Fragment proved to be on what's considered a nearly dead platform in the West.

 

[ponygals]

Also I saw the links, does this mean that Sword Art Onine RE-Hollow Fragment and Lost Song are being released via retail for the PS Vita OR only via retail for the PS4?

 

[Nathan Drake]

Also I saw the links, does this mean that Sword Art Onine RE-Hollow Fragment and Lost Song are being released via retail for the PS Vita OR only via retail for the PS4?

Re: Hollow Fragment is releasing on the PS4 as a digital download only. It has not nor will it receive a physical release on either the Vita or the PS4. There is word that they are doing a better translation for the PS4 version of the game, but I don't know if that's legitimately confirmed or just speculation right now.

Lost Song should be receiving a physical release, but they have not confirmed if it will release physically on both consoles or not. The only reason we know they're doing a physical release at all is because they specified digital for Re: Hollow Fragment whereas they just said Lost Song was going to be released in Fall. You'll have to wait until closer to release to know for certain what the details on it are. Considering it could release as late as the end of November with the seasonal release window, there may be a bit of a wait until more concrete details are announced.

 

[ponygals]

I really wanted both games in physical copies as opposed to digital.

 

[Nathan Drake]

Well, I'm pretty much positive that Lost Song will be releasing physically on the PS4, so if you have a PS4 or will have one by the time it comes out, you are guaranteed to be able to go at least 50% physical. Trust me when I say I wish Hollow Fragment had gotten a physical release, seeing as going digital only made it easier to pass off a bad translation since nobody could return the game.

 

[ponygals]

Oh.

 

[ponygals]

So has anyone played the new games I heard they are out now I think.