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

The highly anticipated game, Lost Soul Aside, is set to launch with a significant caveat: it will be region-locked for over 130 countries on Steam, causing widespread frustration among PC gamers. Many are expressing their discontent and choosing not to purchase the game due to these restrictions. Dive deeper into the details of the region lock and insights from the game's director in recent interviews.

Lost Soul Aside Locked For 130+ Countries At Launch

Players Frustrated With Lost Soul Aside Being Region-Locked

Developed by UltiZero Games, Lost Soul Aside will face region-locking upon its launch, a move driven by Sony's ongoing strategy to limit the availability of PlayStation-published titles. Data from SteamDB indicates that the game will not be accessible in more than 130 countries, specifically those unsupported by the PlayStation Network (PSN).

Curiously, Lost Soul Aside does not mandate a PSN account for play. Yet, the region lock means that the game won't even appear on Steam in these countries, despite the lack of a PSN requirement. To circumvent this, players would need to create a new Steam account in a PSN-supported country, a workaround that has left many baffled, especially after PlayStation recently eliminated PSN requirements for their PC releases. The backlash on social media and forums is palpable, with numerous PC gamers opting out of purchasing the game due to these restrictions.

Lost Soul Aside Will Blend Fantasy Elements With Realistic Visuals

Since its announcement in 2016, Lost Soul Aside has maintained its unique style, blending fantasy elements with realistic visuals. In an IGN interview dated February 20, 2025, UltiZero Games CEO Yang Bing discussed the game's consistent artistic direction and combat style, which features high-speed, flashy action.

Bing emphasized the game’s unchanging core style, saying, "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."

The game draws inspiration from Final Fantasy 15, particularly evident in the protagonist Kaser's design, which combines cartoonish facial features and hairstyles with realistic textures of skin, hair, and clothing.

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

Lost Soul Aside has been influenced by a host of popular Japanese titles, including Final Fantasy, Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden, and Devil May Cry. In an interview with Famitsu on February 20, 2025, Yang Bing detailed how these influences are reflected in various aspects of the game.

The design of Kaser, the protagonist, is heavily inspired 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, Yang highlighted the influence of Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden, and Devil May Cry, noting their fast-paced and flashy combat styles. "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," Yang stated.

Lost Soul Aside is slated for release on May 30, 2025, on PlayStation 5 and PC. Stay tuned for more updates and in-depth coverage on this exciting title.