Ahead of Metaphor ReFantazio’s release on October 11, Sega has announced that it’ll give one fan in the UK the chance to become a royal member of the world’s smallest–and unrecognized–sovereign state. The lucky winner will be granted the title of “Hand to the Sovereign Prince of Sealand” and will also receive a boat trip to see the micro-nation.
To enter, residents living in the United Kingdom must post a video on why they deserve to become nobility. Fittingly, this ties into the central plot of Metaphor ReFantazio, as the game focuses on a race to win the hearts of the people and become recognized as the next king of a magical kingdom.
If you’re unfamiliar with it, Sealand has a long and fascinating history. Originally built during World War 2 and christened HM Fort Roughs, it was decommissioned after the war and was taken over by pirate-radio broadcasters. In 1967 it was seized by Paddy Roy Bates, who intended to form his own pirate-radio station at the time. Bates then declared the independence of Roughs Tower and the establishment of the Principality of Sealand.
Its status as an independent nation hasn’t been officially acknowledged by any government, although the Principality of Sealand claims that it was de facto recognized by the UK and Germany through a UK court ruling and Germany’s dispatch of a diplomat to the offshore platform. Bates passed away in 2012, but Sealand does remain in the hands of his family and associates. If you’re interested in the history of Sealand, there are several documentaries detailing its founding and several attempts to hijack the fort.
“When my grandfather founded Sealand in the 1960s, one of his first actions was to bestow the title of Princess Joan on my grandmother,” Prince Liam Bates said in a press release. “In the more than five decades since we’ve established several noble titles, but never a Hand to the Prince. We’ve achieved a lot as the world’s smallest nation but this partnership with Sega and Atlus to create a one-off title marks our first foray into the world of video games, and it’s a venture future Sealand Royals will look back on with pride.”
Metaphor ReFantazio is only the second game this year to receive a rare 10/10 score on GameSpot, as the new IP from Atlus has been praised for its polished turn-based action, imaginative art direction, and a story that offers several surprises.
“Metaphor: ReFantazio combines Atlus’ skill in crafting emotionally charged RPGs with brilliant plot twists, a keen sense of adventure, and fantastical idealism to create one of its greatest games yet,” Jessica Cogswell wrote in GameSpot’s Metaphor ReFantazio review.
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