If you’re among the many eagerly anticipating the upcoming Vanillaware and Atlus title Unicorn Overlord, you’re not alone. However, you may have noticed that this highly anticipated tactical RPG is only set to release on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch—pretty much every gaming console available. Unfortunately, the PC is conspicuously absent from that list. As a long-time advocate of PC gaming, I’ve been perplexed by the decision to exclude PC users from experiencing Unicorn Overlord—and now we have some answers.
Thanks to the recent effort by Destructoid on reaching out to Vanillaware and Atlus, we’ve learned that the ball is firmly in Vanillaware’s court. Atlus producer Akiyasu Yamamoto stated that while Atlus would like to bring the game to PC, a contractual agreement with Vanillaware prohibits it. As a result, there are currently no plans for a Unicorn Overlord PC release, despite how much we all want it.
This isn’t the response many fans—myself included—were hoping for, but it’s the reality we’re facing. What frustrates me is that the explanation feels akin to a parent dismissing a child’s request. Imagine a child asking, “Dad, can I have a cookie?” and the response is simply, “No.” Followed by “Why?” and the answer being, “Because I said so.”
I know as a child I hated that, and my feelings towards that sort of single-minded conversation still annoy me.
Vanillaware has provided no reasoning for its reluctance to bring its games to PC. And when I refer to PC gaming, it’s worth noting that Unicorn Overlord isn’t the only Vanillaware title that’s skipped the platform. Other titles—Dragon’s Crown, Dragon’s Crown Pro, Odin Sphere, Odin Sphere Leifthrasir, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, and Muramasa: The Demon Blade—have all been absent from PC as well.
What strikes me as odd is that Unicorn Overlord is a tactical RPG—a genre that, while it’s had some success on consoles, has long found its home on PC. And yet, despite that, Unicorn Overlord (at least for now—and maybe never) isn’t coming to PC. Honestly, that just feels like bad business. For whatever reason, Vanillaware is dropping this gem onto every other gaming platform while ignoring the PC—and the massive pool of money that comes with it. Thousands of PC gamers have expressed their frustration with this decision and would gladly throw money at Atlus and Vanillaware if the choice were reversed. As it stands, it’s almost like the company just doesn’t like money.
Maybe Vanillaware is afraid of the PC modding scene and what it might do to the carefully crafted masterpiece they’ve created. Maybe they’re worried about piracy—though if that’s the case, someone should remind them that the Switch isn’t exactly piracy-proof either. Maybe it’s a cultural thing. Who knows at this point? The company likely won’t say, but I’d love to know the real reason behind all this.
Regardless, we’re at an impasse, and Unicorn Overlord on PC isn’t happening anytime soon—if ever—and that’s unfortunate. So, if you want to play it on March 8, 2024, you’ll have to grab it on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, or Switch.
Oh, I’m still going to play the game. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t. But I’d much rather be playing it on my ROG Ally than on my Switch, so I can enjoy it on the go and with better performance. Still, here I am, sitting and waiting for my Unicorn Overlord Collector’s Edition to show up.
