Highlights
- Sea of Stars, a retro-style indie RPG, will launch on both Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus simultaneously, a first for the subscription services.
- The game is inspired by classic SNES RPGs like Illusion of Gaia and Chrono Trigger, and features a beautiful retro pixel art style.
- Sea of Stars' simultaneous launch on Game Pass and PS Plus could be an anomaly, but it could also open the door for future titles to launch on both services, given the growing prominence of subscription services in the industry.
A new retro-style indie RPG titled Sea of Stars is arriving on Xbox Game Pass, as well as PlayStation Plus, on day one later this summer. Both Xbox and PlayStation's subscription services have been a big stage for day one indie releases over the years, however, it's never been the case for a single game to launch on both services simultaneously.
Sea of Stars is a turn-based RPG from Sabotage Studio, the indie squad behind 2018's hit game The Messenger. Inspired by classic JRPGs, Sea of Stars sports a beautiful retro pixel art style in a Zelda-like top down perspective. Citing direct inspiration from games like Illusion of Gaia, Chrono Trigger, and Super Mario RPG, Sea of Stars is looking to be the premier experience for fans of '90s SNES RPGs. Sabotage Studio even went as far as to work with legendary composer Yasunori Mitsuda, responsible for the music of Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, and Xenoblade Chronicles 3, for Sea of Stars' music.
It's been officially known since last month that Sea of Stars will be launching day and date onto Xbox Game Pass. However, on Twitter, PlayStation made the unexpected and unprecedented announcement that Sea of Stars will also be launching onto PlayStation Plus on day one as well, on August 29. This is a first for both Xbox and PlayStation. While there have certainly been games in the past that have left one service and joined the other, there's never been a game that's premiered on both platform's subscription services on the same day.
While unlikely, it would be interesting to learn who secured Sea of Stars' launch first and what allowed this to happen. Usually a game launching day one on a subscription service would forbid it from doing the same on the competitor's service. Rights to marketing typically comes with a Game Pass or PS Plus launch as well. Sea of Stars' simultaneous launch on Game Pass and PS Plus could simply be an anomaly. On the other hand, this unprecedented situation could potentially open the door for future titles, big or small, to follow suit as subscription services grow ever more prominent in the industry.
Sea of Stars is landing in the middle of a jam-packed late August window with big game releases like such as EA's Immortals of Aveum and FromSoftware's long-awaited Armored Core 6. Sabotage Studio's retro turn-based RPG will have company on its August 29 release date as well, as fellow indie titles like Goodbye Volcano High and the Quantic Dream-published Under the Waves are set to release alongside it. Though incredibly unique, Sea of Stars will have tons of competition around its release date. Perhaps being the first ever game to launch day one on Game Pass and PS Plus will give it a leg up.
Sea of Stars is coming out on August 29 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
