Sega Corporation has announced a monthly network fee in Japan for playing Phantasy Star Online on the Sega Dreamcast. Excluding phone bills and the monthly ISP fee, users can choose to pay a fee of 400 yen (about US$3.70) for a one-month plan or 1,000 yen (about US$9.26) for a three-month plan to play the game online. Payments can be made via WebMoney or credit cards. The first 30 days of network online play will be free once players sign up. Phantasy Star Online is scheduled release on December 23 in Japan.
When asked if there would be a similar pay-for-play plan implemented in North America, Sega of America told GameSpot that it hasn't "announced any plans for a pay-for-play structure in the US."