Princess Crown English Translation Revives Interest in Classic Sega Saturn RPG
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Published on: October 31, 2024
Description
Princess Crown English Translation Revives Interest in Classic Sega Saturn RPG
Princess Crown, a cult favorite action RPG originally developed for the Sega Saturn, has seen a remarkable resurgence of attention in the gaming community in recent months.
While this Vanillaware precursor was never released outside Japan, its legacy has steadily grown, inspiring a dedicated fanbase eager to experience the title in English.
The latest wave of interest is fueled by new developments in the English fan translation scene—a milestone for Vanillaware enthusiasts and Sega Saturn collectors.
Released in 1997, Princess Crown was produced by Atlus and designed by George Kamitani, who would later found Vanillaware, the studio behind hits like Odin Sphere and 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim.
Though the game’s domestic-only release rendered it relatively obscure, its influence on future Vanillaware projects has made it an object of fascination for historians and fans alike.
This renewed focus traces back to the recent publication of an English language patch for Princess Crown’s Saturn version by a developer known as eadmaster.
Building upon translation efforts initiated by fellow fans CyberWarriorX and SamIAm, eadmaster’s release made the game playable for English-speaking audiences—almost three decades after its original launch.
According to a public video statement, CyberWarriorX reflected on the development timeline of their translation project: “SamIAm and I began our Princess Crown translation in spring 2012.
By the end of that year, we’d completed a first draft of the script and had English text working in-game, but it was quite basic, and the majority of work still remained.
In early 2013, I uploaded a project snapshot to GitHub, hoping to attract help for technical challenges.
While we partnered closely to advance the translation, over time, life commitments slowed progress but we never lost sight of our goal.
The GitHub repository was left untouched as the project evolved.”
The situation became complex when eadmaster released a patched version using assets from the older GitHub repository.
Describing the incident, CyberWarriorX stated, "eadmaster took assets from our old GitHub project, made some minor edits, and distributed his own Princess Crown translation, doing so without giving advance notice.
Although the GPL license technically permits this, within the fan translation community, such actions are often seen as disrespectful, especially as the released version was not considered ready for public use and is now outdated."
eadmaster has responded to the controversy by expressing a willingness to resolve any misunderstandings or communication issues related to his patch.
Despite lingering tension, the episode has ultimately led to the revival of the original translation project, as CyberWarriorX and SamIAm showcased their most current progress in a new video.
They emphasized their commitment: "We can’t promise a release date or a beta right now, but we believe Princess Crown deserves a top-quality translation.
We aim to share more updates moving forward and thank fans for their continued patience.
We want to finish this project as much as anyone."
Even after nearly thirty years, Princess Crown continues to captivate a global audience, underscoring the lasting influence of Vanillaware’s creative origins.
This translation saga, while highlighting the challenges and etiquette integral to fan-driven game preservation, ensures the beloved Saturn RPG remains a significant topic in the gaming community.
