Potential Release Date for Persona 4 Arena in Europe

[Firewind]

A lot of online retailers have been posting a 3rd May 2013 release date in the EU for a while now but we still haven't heard anything official. And well we still have nothing official but there is one thing that looks promising. Today I visited a GAME (basically the UK's equivalent of Gamestop) as I know the managers of my local one and I knew that they would be updating their Q2 release schedule. On the list was indeed the PS3 version of Persona 4 Arena.

Usually the fanbase would be writing this off as just more speculation but GAME tend to only put out release dates once they have a confirmation from the manufacturers. Zen United haven't said a thing about it so the date will almost certainly be pushed back but at least the EU has some idea as to when the game might come out.

Sadly retailers and Zen United still want to fuck us over with the prices so we will be paying £33 or $50 (hey at least we aren't paying $70 like we usually do with brand new console games) for a game that will be a year old and costs less than $20 in the US. But hey, Zen United promised "Something Nice" like with Blazblue so we're no doubt going to get an artbook full of pictures that are already out there on the game's website that we will have to pay an extra $15 for.

But for the 3 people that can still remember that the game is coming out then it is somewhat refreshing news and is confirmation that the game isn't cancelled like the EU fanbase were recently wondering.

Source (kind of): Buy Persona 4: Arena on PlayStation 3 | Free UK Delivery | GAME

[Icemage]

Re: Potential Release Date for Persona 4 Arena in Europe

I'd say the best indication that it's coming is GAME's current financial insolvency. If a game shows up on their release slate, it's because they've gotten firm assurances from the publisher that they will be shipped product. I don't think GAME wants to go through the whole debacle of having pre-orders not honored again like they did last year when they went into administration.


Icemage

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Potential Release Date for Persona 4 Arena in Europe

Oddly, Etrian Odyssey IV is on-track to come out within this spring in Europe, not all that long after US release (few months, but not a Zen wait). No mention was made of who's publishing for Atlus - I guess I could be straight to EU eShop even, but it's speedy release there probably has a lot to do with there being no voice over at all in that one. Still, if its published for retail, that publisher might be worth sticking with in the future.

No word on Soul Hackers, though.

[Firewind]

Re: Potential Release Date for Persona 4 Arena in Europe

It's either Nintendo of Europe or NISA that are doing it for Europe, I can't remember. If it's eShop only like Code of princess then it's most likely going to be NoE.

The only reason that we had to wait for Persona 4 Golden was because NISA wanted to localise in German, French, Spanish, Italian, Swedish etc so we had to wait a couple of months for the scripts to be translated and the dubs to be done, and Atlus USA couldn't do it themselves due to budget reasons. Honestly that reason for a delay is fine, it's not fair on non-English speakers over here and the people that don't wan to wait can import the US or Japanese version if the game is region free.

Ever since they got a European branch, NISA have been really quick with localisations to be fair and they do count imports to EU addresses towards their sales figures. One of the great things about NISA is that their website literally ships anywhere. The only reason I didn't actually import P4G is because I wanted to support NISA releasing more physical copies of Atlus games in the EU (and if I'm honest, I already have Persona 4 so I didn't mind waiting for Golden).

I'd say the best indication that it's coming is GAME's current financial insolvency. If a game shows up on their release slate, it's because they've gotten firm assurances from the publisher that they will be shipped product. I don't think GAME wants to go through the whole debacle of having pre-orders not honored again like they did last year when they went into administration.


Icemage

HMV are in that situation right now actually but I really don't see them getting bailed out. They are £80million ($121,102,509) in debt from borrowing against their employee's pension funds alone. That is how screwed over HMV is from horrible management.

But either way, it is also good news for people waiting for Persona 4 Arena because they have gotten firm assurances from Zen United that the game is coming out. We still don't have anything official on the release date but it would be fair to assume that May would be reasonable.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Potential Release Date for Persona 4 Arena in Europe

Even if its direct to eShop, that's not bad at all. Though it does have rarity in physical retail, EO never really seems to have much value until it goes scarce a few years. I think the DS games got quiet, limited reissue recently. This is really the sort of thing I would be more inclined to download, but since its out tomorrow in retail, I'll just get it since I have all the other entries boxed.

[Firewind]

Re: Potential Release Date for Persona 4 Arena in Europe

Yeah if a download version of a game is the same price of the retail version, I tend to just go for the retail version to have it boxed, unless it's sold out or something.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Potential Release Date for Persona 4 Arena in Europe

In Persona related-news today, since unusual circumstances prevented a US release of the PSP enhanced port of Persona 2: Eternal Punishent, Atlus and Sony released the PSX version as a PSOne classic Better than nothing I suppose

Well, unless you're a PSP or Vita-only owner Despite having the potential to be playable on PSP and Vita, Sony only cleared it for PS3 and PSP owners have to do the PS3 work-around while Vita owners are fucked over and have to wait for another arbitrary firmware update to unlock more PSOne Classics.

MGS Peacewalker was added today, but MGS is still locked away.

One day I will fulfill my dream of having all the Metal Gears and Personas on my Vita.... but today is not that day.

[Firewind]

Re: Potential Release Date for Persona 4 Arena in Europe

Zen also finally admitted that it IS the 360 version that is causing the delay. According to the Persona Europe facebook page, apparently they still haven't been sent a build for the 360. Given how shoddy XBox Live's netcoding is for playing fighting games it hardly surprises me. It's optimised for shooters, not fighting games.

They also followed up with a post begging people not to vent on the Facebook page even though it is the only form of communication that the EU fanbase has with the developers after the forums on the Zen United page were taken down at the start of the mess.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Potential Release Date for Persona 4 Arena in Europe

Devil Survivor to hit 3DS in Europe a week early - Destructoid

Just thought I'd let ya know.

God only knows when Ghostlight will get DeSu2 Code Breaker to EU after America

[Firewind]

Re: Potential Release Date for Persona 4 Arena in Europe

I saw that. I think I will probably end up getting it in April anyway due to a friend's birthday falling during that week and me generally being completely broke at the moment.

I'm actually hoping that NISA will get hold of DeSu2. We only had to wait a couple of months for Persona 4 Golden and that was only because NISA has to go and localise it themselves due to there only being an English localisation available. With the huge wait for region locked Atlus games, you can probably see why the EU fanbase gets a bit peevish when one is announced on a region free console like with the PS3 and 3DS (yes the 3DS is compatible with games with the region code "RF").

That said if you want some entertainment, go on the Persona Europe Facebook Page (AKA the only way the EU fanbase can communicate with Zen United) and say anything that plays down the P4A release delay in Europe. You may want to fuse a Black Frost or something first though.

EDIT: Actually, is the sound volume no longer brickwalled from the mastering like it was in the original DS version? The music and sound effects often suffered from clipping and made it painful to listen to on headphones at times due to the distortion caused by the compression, maxed out volume in the master tracks and the original DS having pretty shoddy audio hardware and speakers anyway.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Potential Release Date for Persona 4 Arena in Europe

EDIT: Actually, is the sound volume no longer brickwalled from the mastering like it was in the original DS version? The music and sound effects often suffered from clipping and made it painful to listen to on headphones at times due to the distortion caused by the compression, maxed out volume in the master tracks and the original DS having pretty shoddy audio hardware and speakers anyway.

Never noticed it in the original version when I ran it on DSi (which actually did have better audio output than the Lite) and later on 3DS. Audio quality on DeSu Overclocked is just fine and I had no bad experiences with what I heard of DeSu 2's audio when I played it on 3DS.

Then again, I seldom played with my headphones on. I'll give it a go later with my studio headphones later because I knoy my Apple earbuds don't play as nice with the 3DS and Vita as they do my iPhone. I just don't know where the hell my Sony headphones are.

[Firewind]

Re: Potential Release Date for Persona 4 Arena in Europe

That might have been why. I had a Lite and skipped out on the DSi. By the time I was thinking of getting a DSi XL the 3DS was out and the price drop had been announced so I just picked up one of those since it wasn't that much more expensive since GAME loves to gouge consumers on console prices.

Also Koch Media, the game's distributor for France, Italy and Belgium, have also confirmed that the game is due in Spring 2013 (Source). So with more distributors actually confirming to the retailers that the game is coming out, hopefully Zen Media should announce something soon.

Also here's a related picture I like:

[Firewind]

Re: Potential Release Date for Persona 4 Arena in Europe

Zen have finally announced that they have a build for the 360 version of the game. Current Release Date is allegedly going to be early May so people weren't far off the mark.

Of course with Zen "Early May" really means "August"

Sources:
Persona 4 Arena posts tentative European launch window of May | Joystiq
Persona 4 Arena out in Europe in May, hopefully • News • Eurogamer.net
Persona 4 Arena may finally come to Europe in May | Polygon

[Firewind]

Re: Potential Release Date for Persona 4 Arena in Europe

So 10th May is confirmed for Persona 4 Arena in Europe but Zen United have managed to fuck up even THAT. Apparently the "something nice" promised to compensate for the delay, is as predicted, a soundtrack CD and artbook of stuff that has been available online since before the game was out in Japan.

Why is this bad? It's a pre-order bonus only for a game that has already been out for a year. So we're going to be paying the equivalent of over $50 for a year old game to get a pre-order bonus that the fans already have access to anyway... Basically they are doing the exact same thing they did with Blazblue and Zen United and Atlus are wondering why the fans are rightfully kicking off.

I'm against boycotting the game because it sends entirely the wrong message but it is silly of Atlus and Zen to sit there and expect people to be happy after being treated like this, or that people are even still interested in the game (even the die-hard fans are losing interest given how dead the online and official forums are). This could've been the release that made Atlus realise they've been neglecting the European market for years. Instead, I'm guessing that they'll look at the numbers and continue to think we're not worth the effort.

It's a bit depressing when the game was released to critical acclaim and winning several fighting game of the year awards, but it's going to end up a niche title over here due to Atlus' greed and Zen United's and Arc System's incompetence.

Sources:
Persona 4 Arena coming to Europe May 10, pre-order bonus includes soundtrack and�artwork | Polygon
http://www.facebook.com/PersonaEurope

[Firewind]

Re: Potential Release Date for Persona 4 Arena in Europe

Might as well throw it in here to stop it from clogging up other threads:

Zen United announced yet another Pre-order bonus, this one a GAME and UK exclusive:



So I guess you get two soundtrack discs now for pre-ordering or something? I have no idea but the rest of Europe is pretty pissed off that this is going to be UK only. The UK is pissed because it is a pre-order bonus exclusive to only one retailer (with that retailer being GAME or all people) and Australia is pissed because they still don't have a Release Date (but can at least import the game from the UK).

Well I guess Zen United managed to re-ignite interest in the game but not in the way they they would have liked given that people are planning to boycott GAME due to retailer exclusive pre-order bonuses.