The Phantasy Star series has been around for longer than most give it credit for. Mixing fantasy and science fiction, the series began as RPG games on the Sega Master System. The series' biggest claim to fame was Phantasy Star Online, an MMORPG that ran on the Sega Dreamcast. Its fanbase lasted into the modern day, and is large enough that the announcement of Phantasy Star Online 2's western release was met with joy.
The original Phantasy Star Online was revolutionary when it came out, as games on that scale were few on console. Even today, MMORPGs tend to stick to the PC. However, the actual release of Phantasy Star Online 2 on Xbox One and, later PC, was not smooth in the west. There were issues during and after the beta, and players who waited eight years for a western release were not happy.
The backlash against Phantasy Star Online 2's poor performance was harsh among its western playerbase. With so much needing to be fixed, fans were apprehensive when something new Phantasy Star related was announced. Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis was announced during the Xbox Games Showcase, but no one knew exactly what it was. It could have been a new game or an expansion of Phantasy Star Online 2. In a video released on YouTube, Sega finally cleared things up. Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis is an entirely new game that will run parallel to Phantasy Star Online 2 while being a sequel with different mechanics.
Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis takes place 1000 years after Phantasy Star Online 2, and features a more seamless open world. Its combat system has been reworked from PSO2, and it has a standalone story plus an expanded character creator. How much of this is in response to PSO2's problematic western launch is unclear, but it seems Sega wants a fresh start. Thus, this standalone game is sweeping into its predecessor's wheelhouse.
That said, Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis is not meant to completely replace PSO2. In fact, characters can be transferred between the two games. While gear can travel with characters, experience and currency cannot. In addition, PSO2 is getting a revamped visual style to match New Genesis. Whether or not this means Hatsune Miku will reprise her PSO2 concert is unclear.
So it seems New Genesis will run parallel to PSO2 similar to Warhammer 40k running parallel to Warhammer. Whether both games will receive equal support remains to be seen. No concrete release date for New Genesis is set at this time, so anyone eager to join should try PSO2. Grab a starter friendly class and give it a try.
Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis will release in 2021.