Phantasy Star Portable coming March 2009

According to 1up PSP will be released in the U.S. March 2009. While that is good news an interview on 1up with director Satoshi Sakai confirm that the character transfer option found in the Japanese version of PSP will NOT be in the English version.

1UP: Can you explain the functionality between the PS2 version and the PSP version and how it works?

SS: Unfortunately, that won't be incorporated into the Western version. But just to describe what it does: You'll be able to take your character from the PS2 version, download it from the network, and upload it on to your PSP, complete with that character's weapons, armor, facial features, and everything.

1UP: Why isn't that in the U.S. version?

SS: Because of technical difficulties.

1UP: But PSU servers are still running in the U.S., right?

SS: Yes.

I figured that this would happen. It's probably because of the garbage playsega billing system and the low population compared to the 360 version or maybe because it wouldn't work with the 360 version.

Now this leaves a few questions: What will happen with the PSP related quest that was released on the Japanese version of PSU? Will we still get the items like on the Japanese version? Will it show up at all?

Chillaura gave a repsonse on the Sega forums about the two items this quest offered:

Yes the Whitill Wing and Vivienne Fluge are still potentially available, not that we can tell you if how or when they might come to our servers.

-Chill

I don't know about you guys but it sounds like Sega hasn't planned that far ahead and it doesn't give me much hope for getting either of them.