Summary
A PC port ofUnicorn Overlordisn’t in the pipeline, a senior Vanillaware official has confirmed. The critically acclaimedtactical RPGwill hence remain limited to consoles for the foreseeable future, perhaps forever.
Vanillaware historically focused on single-platform development, making games for one system at a time. Prior toUnicorn Overlord, the only time it deviated from this pattern was withDragon’s Crown, an action RPG that the studio launched for both the PS3 and PS Vita in 2013.Unicorn Overlordmarked the company’s first comprehensive multi-platform release, simultaneously debuting on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and the Nintendo Switch in March 2024. But like all Vanillaware games bar its 2006 debut titleFantasy Earth Zero, the SRPG ended up skipping PC.
Asked about the possibility of aUnicorn OverlordPC port, game director Takafumi Noma recentlytoldGamesRadar+ that no such project is in the works. “We do not have any plans for a PC version at this time,” the industry veteran explained. His comment arrived some nine months after producer Akiyasu Yamamoto also said that the Japanese studio wasn’t planning on bringing the game to PC. Neither Noma nor Yamamoto went into any details on what exactly is preventing a PC version ofUnicorn Overlordfrom materializing.
Unicorn Overlord Publisher Wanted a PC Port
In a March 2024 interview with Destructoid, Yamamoto explained thatUnicorn Overlordpublisher Atlus would have preferred to have delivered a PC port of the game. However, the final decision was ultimately up to Vanillaware. Given thatUnicorn Overlordwas in development for 10 years, it’s possible that doing one more version of the game would have stretched Vanillaware’s resources too thin. At the same time, it’s not like the port couldn’t have been handled externally, which is a feasible option when working with an experienced publisher the size of Atlus or its parent company, Sega.
We do not have any plans for a [Unicorn Overlord] PC version at this time.
Unicorn Overlord Is Selling Well Even Without a PC Port
Skipping PC did not stop the critically acclaimed SRPG from selling well. According to the latest update from Atlus,Unicorn Overlordsurpassed one million salesas of late September 2024, just over six months following its release. Even if Vanillaware didn’t repeatedly dismiss the possibility of a PC port, the company’s track record suggests that the game’s chances of making the jump to PC were never great to begin with. To date, Vanillaware has worked on just one port: the Switch version of13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, released in 2022, three years following its PS4 debut.
Although the Japanese studio remains reluctant to bring its titles to PC,Unicorn Overlord’s multi-console launchat least suggests that future Vanillaware titles may no longer be platform exclusives. This shift toward multi-platform publishing could be partially attributable to Atlus, which has recently adopted a similar strategy with notable success.
Unicorn Overlord
WHERE TO PLAY
Liberate Your Kingdom, Reclaim Your Destiny. From the masterminds that brought 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim and Odin Sphere, ATLUS x Vanillaware presents the rebirth of tactical fantasy RPG. Fight against fate and embark on a royal adventure to regain your reign alongside trustworthy allies.Unicorn Overlord combines the timeless tactical RPG genre with overworld exploration and innovative battle system for a unique epic fantasy experience in the iconic Vanillaware style.Traverse a vibrant world, assemble units and direct them into exquisitely animated battles. Perform heroic deeds and grow renown throughout the five nations. Cultivate a grand army with over 60 unique characters, from humans and elves to massive beasts and heavenly angels.
