Atlus has announced that the online version of its Xbox title Shin Megami Tensei NINE has been pushed back indefinitely. Originally scheduled for a late 2002 release in Japan, the project has been frozen due to the risks contained by online gaming and the fact that Atlus is currently still focusing on restructuring following the announced tie-up with Takara. When Shin Megami Tensei NINE will be released in not known yet.

The company's arcade and purikura businesses have been doing well throughout the last fiscal year, however the home game software division had to fight with various problems, including a lack of demand for Xbox software and a steep rise in costs. Nonetheless, Atlus will push ahead with its online plans, once again confirming the development of a yet unnamed PlayStation 2 MMORPG.

• Mainichi Interactive