Joystiq

Final Fantasy XIII's Lightning story to continue in a 'new direction'

JC Fletcher — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 10:20:00 EST

On September 1, during a Final Fantasy anniversary event in Tokyo, Square Enix will present some kind of "new information about the direction of Lightning's story." The Final Fantasy XIII protagonist was last seen in XIII-2 DLC "Requiem of the Goddess," which at the time acted as a conclusion to her saga.

The new Lightning material is currently in the care of "Key members of the FINAL FANTASY XIII development team including the Producer, Director and Art Director."

Final Fantasy XIII was originally announced as a multi-part "Fabula Nova Crystallis" universe, consisting of FFXIII, FF Versus XIII (which we're still waiting for) and Final Fantasy Agito XIII - which was renamed Final Fantasy Type-0 and released last year on PSP in Japan. Though the Fabula Nova Crystallis thing hasn't quite panned out, Square isn't letting that get in the way of expanding the Final Fantasy XIII series.

Final Fantasy XIII's Lightning story to continue in a 'new direction' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What Square Enix learned from Final Fantasy 13's large-scale development

Jessica Conditt — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 21:30:00 EST

Square Enix had 180 artists, 30 programmers and 36 designers working on Final Fantasy 13, and that many people on board made its development complicated, director Motomu Toriyama told Gamasutra.

"With a large-scale development team, we didn't use our time well," Toriyama said. "How do you communicate to everyone in the department what the drive of the game is?"

Toriyama and his team tried to keep the game as secret as possible within the massive workforce, which led to playtesting happening "way too late in the process," he said. Square intended to fix those issues with Final Fantasy 13-2, and implemented production-based milestones as opposed to story-based ones it used at the beginning of FF13's development. Still, more needs to change.

"We are also thinking that we will not do large-scale internal development any longer," Toriyama said. "We have a lot of great creators in Square Enix, but for larger-scale development we will be doing more distributed and outsourced development to reach our targets on time."

What Square Enix learned from Final Fantasy 13's large-scale development originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIII-2 purchases on Amazon net $20 gift card

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST

Looking to do some time travel on the cheap? Amazon's not quite able to bend time just yet, but it can offer you a $20 credit on a brand new copy of the just-released Final Fantasy XIII-2, not to mention a digitized "mini strategy guide." We're hopeful that the strategies are bigger than the guide itself.

Should you choose to go with Amazon's deal, you could always put the $20 credit towards a flux capacitor or something that might actually facilitate time travel. Maybe hallucinogens? We're not sure if Amazon's in that racket yet, but that's another potential avenue for seeking your desire to float across the pond of time. Maybe a Doors album is a better way to go?

Final Fantasy XIII-2 purchases on Amazon net $20 gift card originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why Final Fantasy XIII just didn't work

Jason Schreier — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:30:00 EST

This is a column by Jason Schreier dedicated to the analysis (and occasional mocking) of his favorite genre, the Japanese role-playing game. Whether it's because they're too antiquated or just too niche, he believes JRPGs don't get enough attention in the gaming industry today. It's time to change that.

On January 31, Square Enix will release Final Fantasy XIII-2, a direct sequel to Final Fantasy XIII, which the developer shipped several years ago to mixed reactions. Some fans adored the game's gorgeous aesthetics and flashy combat; others cursed Square Enix for daring to defile their beloved series.

Perhaps because of that fan ambivalence, a large part of Square Enix's marketing plan for Final Fantasy XIII-2 has revolved around the message "This is not Final Fantasy XIII!" During preview events and demos, the developer has been careful to show off all of the new elements that the first game did not have: towns, NPCs, sidequests, and so forth.

Will Final Fantasy XIII-2 be worth playing? I'll tell you in a few weeks. But while we wait to see whether or not the newest Final Fantasy is worth our time, let's figure out why Square Enix is so eager to make it feel different than its predecessor.

Just where did Final Fantasy XIII go wrong?

Continue reading Why Final Fantasy XIII just didn't work

Why Final Fantasy XIII just didn't work originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FFXIII-2 first week sales roughly a third of FFXIII's first week sales

Jordan Mallory — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 19:30:00 EST

Final Fantasy XIII-2, the latest sequel-sequel from the ~~androgyny~~ JRPG veterans at Square Enix, has closed its first week of sales in the land of the rising sun, with somewhat mixed results. The PS3 version of the title has sold 524,000 units according to Andriasang's translation of Media Create's extremely Japanese sales data, making it the number 1 selling title for the period. This is in stark contrast to the 360 version of the game, which entered the charts at number 48 with a comparatively minuscule 10,000 units sold.

Having the number 1 game in Japan is definitely nothing to be ashamed of, but the accomplishment seems somewhat less impressive when compared to Final Fantasy XIII's combined first-week sales of 1,502,000 copies, nearly three times XIII-2's combined 525,000. Media Create attributes the drop in sales to a drop in interest among Japanese female gamers: 22.2 percent of women surveyed were interested in XIII-2, down nearly ten points from XIII's 31.3 percent Japanese female interest rate.

It's also possible that the interest decline among Japanese women was negligible at best, considering that the game was the best selling release in the country.

FFXIII-2 first week sales roughly a third of FFXIII's first week sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIII-2 domain name registered

JC Fletcher — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:40:00 EST

"Corporation Service Company" has registered the "Finalfantasy13-2game.com" domain name, according to Superannuation. The company has previously registered domains for Nier, Mindjack, and other Square Enix games, suggesting that this is also the work of Square Enix.

This domain name could simply be Square Enix grabbing related names just in case, but it could also be evidence of a direct sequel to Final Fantasy XIII -- possibly, like Final Fantasy X-2, one built on the engine and assets from the previous, expensive game. Of course, unlike Final Fantasy X, the Final Fantasy XIII "franchise" is already somewhat crowded, with Final Fantasy Versus XIII and Final Fantasy Agito XIII on the way sometime before the end of the universe.

Square is holding a "1st Production Party Premiere Event" in Japan on January 18, so if there really is a new Final Fantasy to announce, we'll likely hear about it, and any costume-change-based fighting it may contain, then.

[Thanks, Vallanthaz]

Final Fantasy XIII-2 domain name registered originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIII launches on Japanese Xbox 360 to tepid sales

Ludwig Kietzmann — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:20:00 EST

Final Fantasy XIII launched exclusively on PlayStation 3 in Japan last December, beating the multiplatform English release by just under three months, and the local Xbox 360 version by a year. The Japanese Xbox 360 game, dubbed Final Fantasy XIII Ultimate Hits International, arrived on December 16th, bringing with it an English voiceover track, an "Easy" mode and a bonus book. According to launch week sales figures, Square Enix's turnaround in supporting the Japanese 360 may have been overly optimistic.

Producer Yoshinori Kitase told Japanese mag Famitsu in September that the redesigned Xbox 360 hardware had revitalized interest in a local edition of Final Fantasy XIII. "We feel that there are ... a lot of people in Japan who own nothing but 360s," he said. "Thanks to the new system and such, the situation's a lot different than it was in July 2008."

In its first four days, Final Fantasy XIII sold fewer than 22,579 copies -- the cut-off point for that week's top 20 sales as tracked by Media Create -- and landed in the 39th spot. It's not an unsurprising outcome for a year-old title meeting a relatively small user base, but it raises an interesting question: Would Square have benefited more if it had launched its flagship property on both platforms last December, or was this tardy tradeoff its best shot at a small target?

Final Fantasy XIII launches on Japanese Xbox 360 to tepid sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon gets critical hit on Final Fantasy XIII PS3 price for DOTD

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 16:15:00 EST

Look, guys. Amazon really, really wants you to buy Final Fantasy XIII. For the millionth time this year, the retailer has cut the price of the PS3 version of the game for its Deal of the Day promotion -- this time around, you can grab the lengthy JRPG for $18.99, more than half off the usual cost.

Continue reading Amazon gets critical hit on Final Fantasy XIII PS3 price for DOTD

Amazon gets critical hit on Final Fantasy XIII PS3 price for DOTD originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Square Enix lowers six-month financial forecast, cuts expected sales by $100M

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 14:25:00 EST

It looks like Square Enix characters will have to hold that spiky hair with generic product, as the company lowered its earnings forecast today for the six months (first half of its fiscal year) ending September 30, 2010. The publisher reduced new sales expectations by 10.5 percent to ¥68 billion ($846 million), which is far below the ¥90.6 billion the company took in during the same period last year. Squeenix also lowered its net income expectations for the two quarters to ¥1.7 billion ($21 million), a reduction of just over 29 percent from the original forecast.

The company said that the declining figures were due to the "challenging operating environment" in which new games experienced "relatively slow growth." Squeenix's operating income remains high, however, thanks to "profitable carryover sales of major titles released in March of the previous fiscal year" -- i.e., Final Fantasy 13 et al. Square Enix will release its actual second fiscal quarter results in the near future.

Square Enix lowers six-month financial forecast, cuts expected sales by $100M originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Nov 2010 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIII postmortem talks about lack of shared vision on dev team

Mike Schramm — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

The latest Game Developer Magazine has a full postmortem of Final Fantasy XIII, featuring Square Enix developers Motomu Toriyama and Akihiko Maeda revealing just what went right and wrong with the thirteenth iteration of the classic series. The main issue with the game, they say, was a lack of "shared vision" among the developers for what the title should be. Some developers wanted to create a game to answer Western concerns about JRPGs, while others wanted it to serve as a showpiece for a crossplatform engine, and still others wanted to simply emulate the feeling of that first trailer back in 2006.

In the end, what made the vision concrete was the creation of the demo available with Advent Children -- that demo changed the team's talks "from theoretical discussions based solely on abstract concepts to concrete dialogue," and helped the team realize the kind of work they'd have to do on the title before release.

The few clips of the postmortem on Gamasutra don't mention the linear aspects of the game that turned quite a few players off, but the devs say that the more realistic picture of the production brought about by that demo helped them target what to work on by "keeping in mind exactly how the asset would be used in the game." In other words, focusing on one path was supposed to help them make sure that path was worth playing. But of course it's up to players to decide how that worked out.

Final Fantasy XIII postmortem talks about lack of shared vision on dev team originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Square Enix producers have more Final Fantasy 13 stories in mind

JC Fletcher — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Despite the eventual existence of Final Fantasy Agito XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII, there's apparently still room for more "Fabula Nova Crystallis" games from Square Enix. Maybe.

In an interview in the Final Fantasy XIII Ultimania Omega guide, producer Yoshinori Kitase expressed an interest in continuing the Final Fantasy XIII story. "I'd like to at some point make a story where Lightning ends up happy," director Motomu Toriyama said. Whether or not this becomes a game depends on demand from fans.

The team also revealed content that was planned as DLC but cut from Final Fantasy XIII: an area called "Seventh Ark" that would have offered "free battles." This was axed for quality reasons, as well as for differences in PSN and Xbox Live.

Square Enix producers have more Final Fantasy 13 stories in mind originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon offering PS3 version of Final Fantasy XIII for $XX

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 13:30:00 EST

If you're one of those people who performs complex time vs. price equations before purchasing a new game, Amazon's making an awfully hard sell for the PS3 version of Final Fantasy XIII. You can now lock down the 45-odd-hour adventure for $19.99, a full 60 percent off its usual retail price.

Final Fantasy XIII -- $19.99, down from $49.99

Amazon offering PS3 version of Final Fantasy XIII for $XX originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 12 Sep 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIII Ultimate Hits International confirmed for Xbox 360 in Japan

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Square Enix has confirmed the forthcoming release of FFXIII on Xbox 360 in Japan, dubbed "Final Fantasy XIII Ultimate Hits International." The game will be released in December and features English voice acting with Japanese subtitles (other subtitle options are also available). Despite early reports of the release, no additional content will arrive with FFXIII -- it differs from the PlayStation 3 version in Japan in that it will feature content originally only in the US release. It will also add an easy mode and "Final Fantasy XIII - Episode 1" (a short story book).

Square Enix producer Yoshinori Kitase told Famitsu (via Gamasutra) that the new version was spurred by the launch of the remodeled 360 earlier this year, which aimed to bolster the console's install base in Japan. "We feel that there are ... a lot of people in Japan who own nothing but 360s. Thanks to the new system and such, the situation's a lot different than it was in July 2008," he explained. FFXIII will be the first Xbox 360 title released under Square's "Ultimate Hits" budget line, dropping at ¥4,980 ($59.50) on December 16.

Final Fantasy XIII Ultimate Hits International confirmed for Xbox 360 in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watchdog group dubs Xbox 360 FFXIII ad 'misleading'

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:40:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

According to Telegraph.co.uk, the UK group Advertising Standards Authority has concluded that a recent advertisement for the Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII is "misleading." It seems the commercial in question used footage from the PlayStation 3 version of the game. While it's acknowledged that the Xbox 360 version looks slightly inferior to the PS3 version, what makes the ASA's claim interesting is that the commercial is composed entirely of pre-rendered FMV footage.

Using a side-by-side comparison of each version of the game, the ASA reached the conclusion that the PS3 version "appeared sharper and colours were more vivid" and thus the commercial "exaggerated the quality of the footage available on the XBOX 360, albeit marginally."

For its part, Square-Enix admitted that the FMV was captured from a PlayStation console but added that there was "no substantive difference" between the footage on either console and that only those watching in HD would notice the "slight difference." The ASA has ordered that the commercial not be shown again.

Watchdog group dubs Xbox 360 FFXIII ad 'misleading' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIII Xbox 360 bundle discounted to $249.99 at Amazon

David Hinkle — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:20:00 EST

If you pounced on what was already a good deal for the Final Fantasy XIII bundle, then we apologize, because it's been discounted again. Amazon has knocked another $50 off the price tag, bringing the console down to a very appealing $249.99. For a 250GB HDD, two wireless controllers, a copy of Final Fantasy XIII and the console itself (plus the custom faceplate, which Amazon is still throwing in), that's a damn good price -- even if there is a sexier, slimmer console on the block now.

Final Fantasy XIII Xbox 360 bundle discounted to $249.99 at Amazon originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Learn your Roman numerals with Amazon's Final Fantasy sale

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:45:00 EST

If you've always struggled keeping your XIIIs and IIIs straight, you might just need the assistance of a few handy flash cards. Hey, the covers of all the Final Fantasy games that Amazon just discounted across multiple platforms should suffice! Check out the full list of offers below, courtesy of Thrifty Nerd.

Continue reading Learn your Roman numerals with Amazon's Final Fantasy sale

Learn your Roman numerals with Amazon's Final Fantasy sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy 13, Just Cause 2, Supreme Commander 2 cheap on Amazon today

JC Fletcher — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:47:00 EST

Last Thursday, Amazon discounted a random trio of Square Enix games for its Deal of the Day. Today, three more Squeenix games receive a temporary discount -- and this time, none of them are Nier.

If you have yet to decide whether the time-release fun of Final Fantasy 13 is for you, the decision is slightly easier today: it's available for $29.99 on both Xbox 360 and PS3. It's joined by revolutionary mayhem simulator Just Cause 2, which is down to $36.99 on the same two platforms, and $26.99 on PC. Finally, Supreme Commander 2 is supremely cheap at $26.99 on Xbox or $19.99 on PC. Given Amazon's recent Deal of the Day history, if you were planning to buy any other recent Square Enix releases, perhaps you should sit on that purchase for a week, just in case.

Final Fantasy 13, Just Cause 2, Supreme Commander 2 cheap on Amazon today originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon's FFXIII 360 bundle to include UFC 2010 and Bioshock 2 on August 2

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:20:00 EST

Amazon's upping the ante to try and move more units of its recently discounted Final Fantasy XIII Xbox 360 bundle. According to the retailer's Twitter account, the $300 package will come with free copies of UFC Undisputed 2010 and BioShock 2 when purchased this coming Monday.

Continue reading Amazon's FFXIII 360 bundle to include UFC 2010 and Bioshock 2 on August 2

Amazon's FFXIII 360 bundle to include UFC 2010 and Bioshock 2 on August 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIII Xbox bundle $50 off on Amazon

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:30:00 EST

If you value function over form -- or, rather, Fantasy over form -- you may want to examine an alternative to purchasing the newer, slimmer Xbox 360. Amazon's current Deal of the Day is the Final Fantasy XIII Xbox 360 bundle, which has had its price reduced by one Grant, down to $300.

Continue reading Final Fantasy XIII Xbox bundle $50 off on Amazon

Final Fantasy XIII Xbox bundle $50 off on Amazon originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two Xbox 360 FF13 bundles for Europe, faceplate pre-order bonus for all

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST

Clearly not content with just one measly Final Fantasy XIII Xbox 360 mega bundle, it looks like Europe will be receiving a second bundle as well. Europe will be receiving the same Final Fantasy XIII Special Edition bundle that was revealed at X10, which includes the game, a 250GB hard drive, two wireless controllers and downloadable Avatar goodies. Speaking of Avatar items, the release actually reveals what they are: a Rosch outfit, a Nabaat outfit and a Chocobo pet (the same one you might already have, we're assuming). The release didn't specify a price, though Amazon UK lists it for £249.99 ($391).

In addition to that bundle, however, the region will also be receiving the Final Fantasy XIII Elite bundle, which includes the game, a single wireless controller and the standard 120GB hard drive. Again, no price was revealed, though Amazon France has it listed for €249.99 ($340).

Finally, the press release reveals just how you can get your hands on one of the limited edition, promotional FFXIII faceplates. The faceplates will be offered as a bonus for anyone who pre-orders the 250GB Special Edition console. Major Nelson also revealed on Xbox Live that the faceplate will be a pre-order bonus for the North American Special Edition console as well. So, if you really want that faceplate, you'd better be ready to plop down 400 bones for it.

Two Xbox 360 FF13 bundles for Europe, faceplate pre-order bonus for all originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pixar, Molyneux and Schafer also giving talks at GDC 2010

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:45:00 EST

Worried that you're only gonna get one legendary game developer speaking at this year's GDC? Well quit it, because it turns out that March's pontification festival will also feature the likes of Double Fine's Tim Schafer, Lionhead/MGS Europe head Peter Molyneux, Square Enix FFXIII director Motomu Toriyama, a couple of "Pixar notables," and fantasy wordsmith R.A. Salvatore.

According to Gamasutra's announcement of the speakers, the gentlemen will join "almost 350 other lectures, keynotes, and panels" taking place at the early March event, giving speeches on everything from comedy in gaming (Schafer, of course) to intuitive game design (Molyneux), and even a sneak peek (the first, actually, if we're not mistaken) of 38 Studios' upcoming MMO (with R.A. Salvatore). For all you zipper and chain-clad folks, Toriyama's speech on creating "The Crystal Mythos" might be more up your alley. If none of that sounds exciting to you, then there's always the other 345 or so folks at the event or ... umm ... a bar down the street maybe? Listen, are you alright?

Pixar, Molyneux and Schafer also giving talks at GDC 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FFXIII producer says FF franchise 'straddles genre,' not just a JRPG

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:15:00 EST

Yoshinori Kitase, producer of Final Fantasy XIII, is getting older. Running into his 40s and still at the helm of one of Japan's biggest franchises, the man has been employed by Square Enix for 19 years now. In his time, he's headed up production of classics from Chrono Trigger to Final Fantasy VII to Kingdom Hearts. And you'd think, after all those games and all that time, the man wouldn't react bitterly if the newest entry in the FF series were characterized as a JRPG ... and you'd be wrong.

"There's a trend these days to strictly categorize games as western RPGs or Japanese RPGs, but Final Fantasy is something that we don't try to categorize as either/or," Kitase told Edge Magazine. Forgive us if we're mistaken here, but we were quite under the impression that the FF franchise more or less defined what a JRPG is. Continuing, he says, "For us, the game straddles genre." We're not sure what game he's playing, but early reports of the recently released FFXIII de mo in Japan lead us to believe turn-based battles and spiky-haired androgynous characters are still par for the course. Guess we'll have to find out for ourselves when the game releases in North America sometime next year.

FFXIII producer says FF franchise 'straddles genre,' not just a JRPG originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 May 2009 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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85 million Final Fantasy games sold, global takeover imminent

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:42:00 EST

Hot on the heels of yesterday's official acquisition of "the house that Lara built" (Eidos, folks), Square Enix has released a load of numbers on its biggest IPs -- including some that it just acquired yesterday. Unsurprisingly, the Final Fantasy series flies high above its brethren (in a fancy airship, of course) with over 85 million units moved over the series' lifetime. We imagine after the company releases its flurry of FFXIII titles, that number will jump considerably.

Among other details in the release is Dragon Quest's lifetime sales, reaching nearly 50 million units, and the Tomb Raider series showing up with 30 million units sold in the past 13 years. Also of note is Kane & Lynch: Dead Men selling nearly two million shameful, shameful copies. Can we expect the layoffs to stop for now?

[Via Edge]

Source (warning: PDF)

85 million Final Fantasy games sold, global takeover imminent originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Three new Final Fantasy XIII characters revealed

David Hinkle — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST

The next issue of V-Jump magazine has the scoop on three characters that appear in the upcoming Final Fantasy XIII demo, set to be included in Final Fantasy Advent Children Complete. From left to right, we've got Rebro, Gadou, and Marquis, each of which will be playable in the demo. All three are supposedly part of "Team Nora," which is lead by Snow Villiers.

Not much else is known about these characters, except that it's said Gadou is deathly afraid of barbers, Marquis is a "Toys R Us kid" and Rebro is a big fan of pancakes -- when asked if waffles were a suitable substitute, he described them as "the devil's cranny treat." We're totally not lying. It's in the V-Jump article.*

*No, it's not. You've been hoodwinked.

Three new Final Fantasy XIII characters revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Re: Final Fantasy XIII DVD trailers released

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:35:00 EST

Filed under: Videos and Screenshots

How long will these trailers stay online? We're not exactly sure. Hopefully, you'll be lucky enough to catch these Final Fantasy XIII trailers, captured from the recently released "Re: Final Fantasy XIII" DVD. Check out XIII and Versus after the break.

[Thanks, Torgo!]

Continue reading Re: Final Fantasy XIII DVD trailers released

Re: Final Fantasy XIII DVD trailers released originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The stories of Final Fantasy XIII, according to TGS press kit

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:05:00 EST

Filed under: News

How helpful are TGS press kits? Well, let us know. Here's word-for-word what we're told about the stories of FFXIII and Versus. (Let us know if you see any similarities.)

Final Fantasy XIII:
Experience stunning graphics and immersive controls as you delve into the tale of a world where crystals steer the course of human destiny.

Final Fantasy Versus XIII:
In a kingdom where the order of sword and sorcery reigns, conflict erupts over the last remaining crystal. Experience gravity-defying, action-packed battles in a modern setting.

The stories of Final Fantasy XIII, according to TGS press kit originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What's playable, and what's not, at Square Enix's TGS booth

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

2008 looks to be yet another excellent year for Tokyo Game Show. There's a lot of excitement over the potential surprises at the show. Square Enix has posted its lineup for this year's show, and we're a little saddened to see Final Fantasy XIII (PS3) still not playable. At the very least, we'll be getting some one-on-one time with Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (PSP). Check out the full PlayStation list here:

Playable

Dissidia: Final Fantasy (PSP)
Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (PSP)

Trailers-Only

Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)
Final Fantasy Versus XIII (PS3)
Final Fantasy Agito XIII (PSP)
The 3rd Birthday (PSP)
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete (Blu-ray)

We're expecting many of these trailers will be shown behind closed doors. Fear not, though. We'll provide detailed impressions of the trailers live from Tokyo next month.

What's playable, and what's not, at Square Enix's TGS booth originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIII demo could be two hours long

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, RPGs

A recent issue of Famitsu revealed a startling fact about the upcoming demo for Final Fantasy XIII -- the playable preview will apparently last longer than the film that it is packaged with, Final Fantasy: Advent Children Complete. For those of you keeping score at home -- the original Advent had a runtime of 101 minutes. Assuming this length will only increase with the director's cut of the film means Square-Enix's eagerly anticipated demo could last longer than two hours.

To put that in perspective, here are a few things that the demo (which the same Famitsu article revealed will cover the very beginning of XIII) will likely last longer than: an expeditious playthrough of Portal, the Anglo-Zanzibar War, an international soccer match (barring any lengthy penalties), and the celebrity status of Lou Bega. (Who? Exactly.)

[Via PS3F]

Final Fantasy XIII demo could be two hours long originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy Agito XIII to use Crisis Core's ATB system, will support Infrastructure

Andrew Yoon — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:47:00 EST

Filed under: Final Fantasy

The revelation that Agito, the former Final Fantasy XIII cell phone game, was coming to the PSP was a nice revelation for many. Apparently, the developers were tired of waiting for cell phone tech to advance to the level they wanted for Agito. While details are far and few between, the latest issue of Famitsu PS3 (via FinalFantasyXIII.net) says that Agito will use an advanced version of Crisis Core's ATB system. Fans of the PSP-exclusive prequel should be familiar with the real-time battle system. However, unlike Crisis Core, players can look forward to controlling more than one character.

Another bonus is the addition of Infrastructure online play to Agito, a rarity for more Japanese-developed titles. Games with community aspects, such as Monster Hunter Portable and Phantasy Star Portable have opted to use Ad-Hoc multiplayer only. Although that hasn't hindered the popularity of either of these games, players across the Pacific understand that Infrastructure makes online play much more accessible. We approve.

[Thanks, Monkey!]

Final Fantasy Agito XIII to use Crisis Core's ATB system, will support Infrastructure originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIII demo to be over 90 minutes long

Andrew Yoon — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:38:00 EST

Filed under: News

The latest issue of Famitsu PS3 is all about the recent Square Enix DKΣ3713 event, and FinalFantasyXIII.net has a few juicy scans from the magazine. One of the more interesting things to point about the upcoming FFXIII demo bundled with Advent Children Complete: the demo will be on a separate Blu-ray disc (meaning it will unlikely be region locked), and the amount of gameplay is promised to be longer than the length of Advent Children. That means the FFXIII demo should be at least 90 minutes long, if not longer. That's huge! The demo will supposedly come from the very beginning of the game, so players won't have to worry about spoiling the later parts of the game.

[Thanks, Monkey!]

Final Fantasy XIII demo to be over 90 minutes long originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIII coming to Xbox 360 in Taiwan

Ross Miller — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:27:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, RPGs

North America? Check . Europe? Check. Japan? We'll come back to that one. Microsoft can now add Taiwan to its list of territories to have Final Fantasy XIII grace the Xbox 360. At a game exhibition in Taipei (via GNN Gamer), Microsoft executive Grace Chou announced the Chinese territory would be getting the Xbox 360 version, although she said it was currently undecided which localized variant (i.e. Japanese voices, English voices or both) would be used. Also unclear is what other Asian countries, if any, would get the Xbox 360 version.

Our fingers are crossed that this news matters at all before the Mayan-predicted "spiritual transformation" (read: potential apocalypse) of 2012. Seriously, this game isn't coming for a long time.

[Via Kotaku]

Final Fantasy XIII coming to Xbox 360 in Taiwan originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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360's North American success helped Square go 'platform neutral' with FFXIII

Dustin Burg — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

When pondering the idea of bringing Final Fantasy XIII to the Xbox 360, Square Enix based their decision to go "platform neutral" on the success each console had in reaching different demographics in different territories. Square president Yoichi Wada told GamesIndustry.biz that "we always consider the territory and hardware for titles, and I just want to make sure that we're neutral about dealing with companies," admitting that "in Japan we know that the Xbox 360 isn't really that strong yet." But Wada continues saying that "in North America Microsoft is doing very well with its hardware, and for that reason it's a very important partner for us," mentioning "we're now in the age of the multi-platform, but depending on age and territory, users have different tastes."

Different tastes, different consoles and different opinions. Square Enix is just sharing the love and stuffing their pockets full of cash and coin.

360's North American success helped Square go 'platform neutral' with FFXIII originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Neil Goldman wants you to sign a Final Fantasy XIII petition

Alan Tsang — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:45:00 EST

Filed under: Community

A Neil Goldman-lookalike and soundalike has posted a video on Youtube expressing his ... dissatisfaction with yesterday's announcement that Final Fantasy XIII will be go multiplatform. This "expert" in Japanese culture offers to the "gaming community" the consequences of Square-Enix's actions. He encourages us all to sign an online petition requesting an apology from Square-Enix and changing FFXIII back to a PS3 exclusive. Watch especially for the toast he offers at 1:38! Some real comedy gold here.

[Yes, we are aware this is Kevin Bowen of Something Awful. It doesn't make it any less hilarious. Apparently the people at PetitionOnline.com caught on as well, as the petition has been taken down.]

Neil Goldman wants you to sign a Final Fantasy XIII petition originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIII petition video is an instant comedy classic

Kyle Orland — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, RPGs

[Update: Apparently this is a video of Kevin Bowen of Something Awful fame (infame?), making us 99.999% sure that it's a joke. Thanks, commenters.]

We can't really decide whether or not the ridiculously over-the-top mad genius in this Final Fantasy XIII petition video (some slightly NSFW language) is for real or not. On the one hand, the know-it-all, spittle-flecked delivery and lines like "I personally do not admire this game any more," seem like a satire of every fanboy stereotype in the book. On the other hand, the final few minutes of the video are delivered with such passion ("I don't think you realize how emotionally invested some of your fans are!") that it feels almost real.

Regardless of its veracity, the video is an instant comedy classic, intentionally or not. If there's any justice in the world, references to"public sue-de-ku" and "Final Fantasy [making] its final sale" will live on as inside jokes in the gaming community for years to come.

Continue reading Final Fantasy XIII petition video is an instant comedy classic

Final Fantasy XIII petition video is an instant comedy classic originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIII still not playable at upcoming Square Enix party

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: News

What would you do to get into the upcoming Square Enix party? Well, don't get your bloodthirst too ready, as the hotly anticipated games, Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII (pictured), won't be making a playable appearance at the invite-only event. Once again, only video trailers will be shown. And, in typical Square Enix fashion, we're assuming no recording devices of any sort will be allowed near these screens. Bah!

Ever since its debut, people have been clamoring for a playable test drive of the upcoming RPG. 2008 is the promised time for playable demos. Perhaps E3 or TGS?

[Via Kotaku]

Final Fantasy XIII still not playable at upcoming Square Enix party originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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April Fools' Alert #15: A potpourri of nonsense

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 23:40:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360

As we bid adieu to this All Fools' Day, it's time to take a broom to the leftover balderdash and sweep it out of the house so we can start fresh and clean tomorrow.

Straightgamer.net -- OH NO! The boys over at GayGamer.net went to "therapy" and are now devout heterosexuals. Now all they can talk about is boobs, beer and babes. That's so not fierce!
Lego Halo -- 1Up reposted EGM's April issue gag for the internets.
Wii Want More -- A Wii downloadable content service?! ROFLCOPTERBBQ
Brain Age Mobile for iPhone -- The Wiicast does a very subtle trick that any other day of the year might be believable.
Reggie talks Earthbound -- Starmen.net spliced together some clips and gets Monsieur Fils-Aime talking frankly about Nintendo's thoughts on Earthbound in America.
N64 games ported to DS -- Vooks.net got the scoop on some N64 titles being "retooled & refreshed" for the handheld.
Final Fantasy XIII demo and Final Fantasy VII remake -- PSXExtreme didn't even try to be witty, they just went for some painful lies.

April Fools' Alert #15: A potpourri of nonsense originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Apr 2008 23:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: New FFXIII and Versus footage at PS Premiere

Nick Doerr — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Rumors

We're counting this as a rumor simply because new Final Fantasy XIII and Versus XIII footage is a pretty big leap of faith for us to take. Insert your "only the penitent man shall pass" Indy quotes here. Anyway, the new footage is going to be unveiled at the PS Premiere event ... that's all we know. That's not entirely true -- we have the rumored contents of the footage. Bulleted list, here we go:

There will be a 3-4 minute video showing a three person party fighting on some plains.
The battle camera will give you motion sickness, according to the original poster.
The final design of Final Fantasy Versus XIII's antagonist will be revealed. Apparently he has long gold or white hair -- not stereotypical at all.

While it may not sound like much, enthusiasts will drool if the video is released to the public. It's unknown whether or not the video will be behind closed doors or not. If it is, then the video might as well not exist since nobody will see it.

[Via PS3Forums]

Rumor: New FFXIII and Versus footage at PS Premiere originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Square Enix aiming for simultaneous worldwide releases

Nick Doerr — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: News

Here's a slice of news pie that we wouldn't mind gulping down with a tall glass of awesome. Everyone in the RPG business knows the rule: Japan gets the game about six months before any other area. Right? Maybe that won't be the case anymore. Square Enix's Yoichi Wada went on record recently, stating that they plan to start "making simultaneous releases the norm."

Does this include PS3-exclusive Final Fantasy XIII, or the multi-plat Last Remnant? It might. Due to the overwhelming strength of the gaming market outside of Japan, we're seeing a shift in game release ideology. Either this means the US and Europe will get the aforementioned games earlier than expected, or Japan will get them later than anticipated. Who knows -- maybe Square Enix really will start opening up development offices outside of Japan.

Square Enix aiming for simultaneous worldwide releases originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC08: Final Fantasy, beautiful men, and fighting the uncanny valley

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, RPGs, GDC

Note: We'd like to show you images from the session, but as is typical of Square Enix events, no photography of any sort was allowed.

Isamu Kamikokuryo discussed the process of making art for Final Fantasy in a crowded Q&A panel at this year's Game Developer's Conference. At first, Kamikokuryo reminisced about how he got his job at Square Enix. It wasn't particularly romantic: he followed a simple call for applicants, and submitted a resume with a photograph of one of his oil paintings. He got a call back, and got a job that many fanboys would kill for.

Eventually, the discussion moved on to the high quality graphics that Square Enix has been able to produce in its pre-rendered movies. Asked how the team copes with "the uncanny valley problem," Kamikokuryo noted that it's something everyone on the team is constantly thinking about. "In terms of the uncanny valley, that is something we have to fight against. We can't go there -- that's basically how we feel about it. For all the things we create, many of the section creators get together and we make adjustments so this uncanny valley phenomenon doesn't happen. We don't usually use that phrase, because all the staff has this in mind while we do our work."

Continue reading GDC08: Final Fantasy, beautiful men, and fighting the uncanny valley

GDC08: Final Fantasy, beautiful men, and fighting the uncanny valley originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New info on latest Square Enix MMO at GDC?

Majed Athab — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: News

It's been a long time since we've heard anything about this seemingly secretive new MMO from Square Enix; however, some promising info on this illusive title has recently popped up. It's been revealed on the Game Developers Conference website that Square Enix has four representatives speaking at the event -- one of which is Taku Murata, general manager of R&D, who will be discussing the technology that goes behind making Square Enix's current-gen games (specifically the White Engine).

The news nugget about the MMO can be found rather subtly on Murata's personal page where it states he'll be talking about the White Engine used in Final Fantasy XIII, the new MMO in development, and other future titles. Of course, this only confirms that the MMO has not disappeared into vaporware, and still leaves a lot of room for speculation. Will we be seeing some new game footage or will new info on the game itself be divulged? We guess we'll just have to wait until GDC rolls in to find out.

[Via Forever Fantasy]

New info on latest Square Enix MMO at GDC? originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 10 Feb 2008 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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