Famitsu: .hack//LINK for the PSP Announced [Updated 5pm 1/14]
Posted on: Jan 14 2009 by David | Discuss on BBS

Countdown adverted (two days early)! According to Famitsu, the newest and final installment of .hack, .hack//LINK, is currently under development for Sony PSP. Although the game has much in common with the manga .hack//LINK Twilight Knights, CyberConnect2 President Hiroshi Matsuyama has stated that it tells a completely different story, which will unfold through full-color manga cinematics, and feature an impressive cast of over 100 returning characters from all over the .hack universe. Fan favorites such as Albireo from .hack//A.I. Buster, and even Midori from .hack//CELL, have been confirmed to appear!

The "basic flow" of gameplay will be "the same as always," but the battle system will use 2-player parties, where Tokio cooperates with one of no less than 33 other characters. The game is also more action-oriented than before, but (sadly, perhaps) no more difficult.

A special trailer will be available via rental-only copies of Trilogy, which will be released in Japan on the 23rd. Hopefully the website countdown will also yield a trailer.

A big thanks to Coxy for posting the scans on dothackers message board. Click here to discuss the scans!

Source: http://www.dothackers.net/

.hack//Link Website Goes Live [Updated]
Posted on: Jan 15 2009 by Kuukai | Discuss on BBS

edit 1/20: Today dothack.com is back up with a new look. The Japanese page has been rebuilt and now features Bandai's official site for the game, while the English site is still advertising G.U. A European Union link has been added but as of yet remains inactive.

edit: Higher-quality scans from a Chinese version of the article have been added (there is a blur present on all the scanned pages for some reason. E-mail dothackers if you've found higher quality images!). Click here to visit dothackers .hack//Link page to view the scans.

The countdown has finally ended, and .hack//Link has been officially announced! CyberConnect2 has created a website for the game, which opens with the following message:
Young boy,
Make sure to remember.

All the phenomena that envelop this world
Lie within your heart.

Even when something seems to be right before your eyes,
It exists inside you.

This world, made of ideas
Is nothing more than a shadow sprung from imagination.

Also included on the site is this message from Link's creators:

At long last we can tell you all about ".hack//Link"!

The title this time, "Link," holds a number of meanings.

One of these is that it is an "all-inclusive" work that links together all of the episodes of the .hack series up to now.

Another is that it is a story about "bonds," placing emphasis on your relationship with your companions.

These aren't just simple themes, they are deeply related to even the game's mechanics.

For the first time in the series' history, the hardware is PSP.
We want you to be able to enjoy the game fully, and play easily wherever you are.

Crammed within the tiny disc is all of our passion and knowledge and skill!
It should only be a short while before we can bring it to you.

Please have high expectations for it!

2009/1/16
CyberConnect2 Co. Ltd.
Chief Executive Officer - Hiroshi Matsuyama
Project Leader - Hiroto Niizato
No trailer has been released yet, but check back on the 23rd as the trailer included with TRILOGY rental discs comes out!

.hack//Link Screenshots
Posted on: Jan 23 2009 by David | Discuss on BBS

4Gamer.net has released a ton of .hack//Link screenshots below. We're waiting on the .hack//Link trailer to appear some where on the Internet; when it becomes available, it will be posted for all to download!

.hack//Link Teaser Released!
Posted on: Jan 23 2009 by David | Discuss on BBS

I wouldn't call this a trailer (more of a teaser really)... because, well see for yourself below. Enjoy! Note: this is a rip of a flv video from the Japanese video website Nico Nico Douga converted to wmv. If you have any playback issues, contact webmaster@dothackers.net. Download .hack//Link teaser (33mb) For those of you with less bandwidth check out the YouTube version below:

Yay for more PSP games!