Developer Sabotage Studios has teamed up with iam8bit to announce the long-awaited physical retail release of Sea of Stars in the West. A Japanese physical version (with English) of Sea of Stars, courtesy of Kakehashi Games, has been available since December 7th, but is yet to be widely available in the US, Europe, and other English-speaking regions.
Iam8bit first teased an “early 2024” physical release a week before the games released digitally in August 2023. The publisher has now released extensive details and a video (see below). Two versions are coming to PlayStation 5 and 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch: a general retail release on May 10th for $39.99 USD and an iam8bit exclusive edition with a “retro-inspired manual” and other feelies coming in Q2 2024 for $44.99 USD.
The retail edition features a double-sided poster with art from concept artist and illustrator Bryce Kho. Players who preorder the retail edition will receive a digital download of the game soundtrack, which includes all 200 tracks from Day & Night cycles, acoustic pirate band covers and over 10 tracks from guest composer Yasunori Mitsuda. This digital soundtrack also showcases the talents of Sabotage’s award-winning composer Eric W. Brown, with contributions from Vincent Jackson Jones II and Reece Miller. Shipping begins on May 10, 2024. The iam8bit Exclusive Edition includes a retro-inspired game manual, collectible slipcase, collectible poster featuring original art and oversized game map, digital download of the game soundtrack and 16 character stickers. This version is exclusive to iam8bit.com and will begin shipping in Q2 2024.
Sea of Stars Soundtrack
For those who loved the soundtrack, iam8bit plans to release a double LP vinyl for $42.99 USD, to be shipped in Q3 2024:
The Sea of Stars 2xLP is a stunning epic on Solar Orange and Lunar Blue wax, with brilliant album art from
Bryce Kho. Evoking a touch of whimsy with its swelling highs and touching twists, this slimmed-down version of the soundtrack by main composer Eric W. Brown and guest composer Yasunori Mitsuda, includes a selection of the very best melodies, hooks and refrains. Fans who purchase the LP will also receive a voucher to digitally download the full soundtrack.
First released on August 29th, 2023, after a long period of high expectations, Sea of Stars met critical and commercial success. RPGFan’s own Caitlin Argyros wrote a glowing review, praising its “[g]orgeous 2D graphics, […] endearing characters, [and] catchy soundtrack”. The game also received multiple end-of-year awards, including Best Indie Game at both The Game Awards and the Golden Joystick Awards.
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