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

Lost Soul Aside, the highly anticipated action RPG from UltiZero Games, will be region-locked for over 130+ countries on Steam at launch, sparking frustration among PC gamers who are now considering not purchasing the game. Delve into the details of the region lock and explore 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’ Lost Soul Aside will face region restrictions at its launch, much to the dismay of gamers due to Sony's ongoing policies limiting the reach of PlayStation-published titles. Data from SteamDB indicates that Lost Soul Aside will be unavailable in more than 130 countries, all of which are unsupported by the PlayStation Network (PSN).

Interestingly, Lost Soul Aside does not mandate a PSN account for play. However, due to the region-locking, the game will not be visible on Steam in countries without PSN support. Players eager to dive into Lost Soul Aside will need to establish a new Steam account in a country where PSN is available. This decision has baffled many, especially considering PlayStation's recent move to eliminate PSN requirements for their PC games. The backlash has been significant, with PC gamers voicing their discontent across social media and forums, many deciding against purchasing the game due to these restrictions.

Lost Soul Aside Will Blend Fantasy Elements With Realistic Visuals

Since its debut announcement in 2016, Lost Soul Aside has consistently showcased its unique blend of fantasy elements with strikingly realistic visuals. In an IGN interview dated February 20, 2025, UltiZero Games CEO Yang Bing discussed the game’s enduring style and inspirations.

Bing highlighted that the game’s visual and combat style has remained unchanged since its initial promotional video. He emphasized the game’s commitment to high-speed, flashy action, stating, "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."

Bing also mentioned Final Fantasy 15 as a significant influence, particularly in how the game merges reality with fantasy. He pointed to the protagonist Kaser, whose cartoonish facial features and hairstyles contrast with the realistic textures of his skin, hair, and clothing.

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

Lost Soul Aside draws inspiration from several iconic Japanese games, including Final Fantasy, Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden, and Devil May Cry, influences that are evident throughout the game. In a February 20, 2025 interview with Famitsu, Bing elaborated on how these inspirations have shaped various aspects of Lost Soul Aside.

He noted that the character design of Kaser reflects a strong influence from 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 praised the influences of Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden, and Devil May Cry for their fast-paced, flashy combat systems. He stated, "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 exciting title by checking out our dedicated article below!