"Lost Soul Aside on Steam Blocked in Over 130 Countries by Sony"

Lost Soul Aside will be region-locked for over 130+ countries on Steam, sparking frustration among PC gamers who are now choosing to forego purchasing the game. Dive into the details of the region lock and the insights from recent interviews with the game's director.

Lost Soul Aside Locked For 130+ Countries At Launch

Players Frustrated With Lost Soul Aside Being Region-Locked

UltiZero Games' upcoming title, Lost Soul Aside, will be region-locked at launch, causing significant frustration among gamers due to Sony's ongoing restrictions on PlayStation-published games. According to SteamDB, the game will be unavailable in over 130+ countries, all of which lack support from the PlayStation Network (PSN).

Interestingly, Lost Soul Aside does not necessitate a PSN account to play. Yet, the region lock means that the game won't appear on Steam in countries without PSN support. To circumvent this, players would need to create a new Steam account in a country that supports PSN—a move that has left many scratching their heads, especially after PlayStation recently eliminated PSN requirements for their PC releases. The gaming community has taken to social media and forums to voice their discontent, with many deciding against purchasing the game due to these restrictions.

Lost Soul Aside Will Blend Fantasy Elements With Realistic Visuals

Since its initial announcement in 2016, Lost Soul Aside has consistently maintained a unique style that blends fantasy elements with realistic visuals. In an IGN interview on February 20, 2025, UltiZero Games CEO Yang Bing elaborated on the game's enduring style and inspiration.

Bing noted that the game's style and combat have remained consistent since the first promotional video in 2016, featuring high-speed, flashy action. He stated, "So this is something that we have been sticking to for all these years. During this development process, we, of course, continued to see some new and excellent works, which maybe we got some influence through, [on] our thought along the way. So from the beginning, this personal trailer gradually evolved into a more mature and well-run version, I should say."

He also highlighted the influence of Final Fantasy 15 on the game, particularly evident in the protagonist Kaser's design, which combines cartoonish features with realistic textures in his skin, hair, and clothing.

Influences From Final Fantasy, Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden, and Devil May Cry

Lost Soul Aside draws inspiration from a variety of renowned Japanese games, including Final Fantasy, Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden, and Devil May Cry. In an interview with Famitsu on February 20, 2025, Bing discussed how these influences are reflected in the game.

He emphasized that the design of Kaser is heavily influenced by the Final Fantasy series. Yang explained, "I had a designer design the clothes for the main character, and I wanted to combine realistic and fantasy elements, just like in FF. After the clothes are designed, they are actually made and reproduced in the game. By doing so, we thought that the players would feel as if it actually existed, and that the main character, Kazel, would also feel as a bloody, realistic character."

Regarding combat and pacing, Yang cited Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden, and Devil May Cry for their flashy abilities and fast-paced action. He added, "We're also constantly improving and refining the combat system, maintaining a sense of speed in combat while also adding a certain amount of depth. Players can develop their own style, and even if they are not good at sequential moves, they can use various systems to achieve high performance and make the game go smoothly."

Lost Soul Aside is slated for release on May 30, 2025, on PlayStation 5 and PC. Stay tuned for more updates on this highly anticipated game!