"Sony's Restrictions Block Lost Soul Aside on Steam in Over 130 Countries"

The much-anticipated game, Lost Soul Aside, will be region-locked on Steam for over 130 countries upon its release, causing significant frustration among PC gamers. This restriction is linked to Sony's policies, which continue to limit the availability of games published by PlayStation. Dive deeper to understand the impact of the region lock and hear insights from the game’s director.

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 faces a region lock at launch due to its association with Sony, despite not requiring a PlayStation Network (PSN) account to play. According to SteamDB, the game will not be available in over 130 countries where PSN is unsupported. This means that Lost Soul Aside won't even appear in the Steam store for users in these regions, forcing those eager to play to create a new Steam account in a country where PSN is supported.

This decision has baffled many, especially following PlayStation's recent move to remove PSN account requirements for their PC titles. The backlash has been swift, with PC gamers venting their frustrations 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 initial reveal in 2016, Lost Soul Aside has maintained its unique aesthetic, blending fantasy with realistic visuals. In an interview with IGN on February 20, 2025, UltiZero Games' CEO Yang Bing discussed the game's enduring style and inspiration.

Bing highlighted the game's consistent approach, 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."

He also noted the influence of Final Fantasy 15, particularly evident in the protagonist Kaser, who features a mix of cartoonish facial features and hairstyles with realistic textures on 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 acclaimed Japanese games, including Final Fantasy, Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden, and Devil May Cry. In a February 20, 2025 interview with Famitsu, Yang Bing detailed how these influences shape the game.

He emphasized the impact of Final Fantasy on Kaser's design, saying, "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 the game's combat, Bing praised the fast-paced and flashy styles of Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden, and Devil May Cry, noting, "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 by checking out our related articles below!