Joystiq

Explore Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn in its latest trailer

Mike Suszek — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 10:30:00 EST

This trailer, using real-time footage for Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, weaves through the game's many battle-ridden environments. Players can sign up for the game's beta program for PC and PS3 on Square Enix's official site.

Explore Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn in its latest trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 24 Feb 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Square Enix posts $61 million nine-month net loss, net sales up

Sinan Kubba — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:30:00 EST

Square Enix's net loss for this fiscal year is now ¥5.7 billion, which converts to around $61 million. Compare that to last fiscal year, when the company turned a net profit of just over ¥5 billion, or around $53.5 million, and it's a drastic difference. Square Enix stated it hadn't recovered the losses posted in November 2012 because of "the increasingly difficult condition of the worldwide console game market."

Net sales, however, did see year-on-year growth of over 7 percent to ¥102.8 billion, or around $1.1 billion. Square Enix also noted acceptable profits for mobile and social networking games like Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade and Final Fantasy Artniks.

Looking ahead, Square Enix forecasts end-of-fiscal-year net profits of ¥3.5 billion yen, or around $37.3 million, that figure down year-on-year by 42 percent. The company expects content expansion and the launch of "full-scale commercial services for major MMO titles," to drive earnings up.

Square Enix posts $61 million nine-month net loss, net sales up originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy 14 for PS3 exists, and here are the screens to prove it

JC Fletcher — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 10:15:00 EST

Square Enix rebooted version of Final Fantasy XIV, "A Realm Reborn," is still coming to PS3 as well as PC. The company released the first screenshots of the PS3 version today, revealing the new UI for the console version.

The new UI allows players to set up their own button configurations, of course. Square says it's been "designed with the traditional Final Fantasy controls in mind to give the game a classic RPG feel, familiar to any PlayStation 3 RPG gamers." So that means you press X to confirm menu items? And use the d-pad to move between them? We've never put that much thought into "traditional Final Fantasy controls."

Square Enix plans to release both the PS3 and PC versions of A Realm Reborn in 2013.

Gallery: Final Fantasy XIV - A Realm Reborn (10/11/12)

Continue reading Final Fantasy 14 for PS3 exists, and here are the screens to prove it

Final Fantasy 14 for PS3 exists, and here are the screens to prove it originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subscription fees return to Final Fantasy XIV on January 6

JC Fletcher — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:03:00 EST

Square Enix has announced a small delay related to Final Fantasy XIV, but we don't think it's one you'll be upset about. Back in October, as part of the ambitious plan to revamp the MMO, Square Enix said it would begin charging a subscription fee in late November or early December. That date has been pushed to January 6, allowing you another whole month of ... playing Final Fantasy XIV in its current form. Hmm.

If you want to set up a subscription for your current account, you'll be able to do so starting December 16. Between January 6 and the release of "version 2.0," subscription fees will be discounted to $6.99 per 30 days (with extra savings for longer periods). The "real" subscription fee when version 2 launches will be $9.99 for 30 days.

Subscription fees return to Final Fantasy XIV on January 6 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy 14 'Version 2.0' begins charging this year, PS3 version in late 2012

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:03:00 EST

Square Enix has laid out the plans for Final Fantasy 14 "Version 2.0," with the implementation of subscription fees and an announced launch window for the PS3 version in late 2012 being the most surprising bits.

Final Fantasy 14 Producer/Director Naoki Yoshida said the game's unintended year-long free trial will end between "late November and early December." After that, the publisher is going to rock the MMO space old-school with a subscription-based billing system. Further details about pricing will be sent by email to current registered players at a future date.

Also planning to finally stumble in next holiday is the PS3 version, which is scheduled for release "between October and December of 2012." At the time of the PS3 launch, the publisher plans to begin a "second free trial period."

Following the PS3 launch, the development team plans to rework in-game maps, switch over to a new client and new servers, and provide PC players new software that will be distributed online "free of charge." For those looking to get deep into the changes, Square Enix has provided a full explanation and several PDFs of future plans on its site.

Final Fantasy 14 'Version 2.0' begins charging this year, PS3 version in late 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIV team restructuring, PS3 version delayed

JC Fletcher — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 10:35:00 EST

We've got bad news and we've got worse news. First, the bad news: The PS3 version of Final Fantasy XIV, originally due March of next year, has been delayed indefinitely.

The worse news is that it's been delayed because the PC game is such a disaster. In an announcement released to the FFXIV community, Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada apologized for the fact that the game isn't very enjoyable ... and then said that the FFXIV team is restructuring, with new leadership stepping in. Producer Hiromichi Tanaka is out, with Naoki Yoshida taking over as producer/director, and many other positions are also being restaffed. The new team is now working on "a concrete plan outlining Final Fantasy XIV's new direction." Until that new plan is implemented, the game's free trial period will continue.

And so, with the PC version currently a directionless mess, Square Enix wisely decided not to base the PS3 version on that, but instead on whatever the post-restructuring game will be. There's good news, then: Square Enix stopped making what would have been a terrible PS3 game.

Final Fantasy XIV team restructuring, PS3 version delayed originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Dec 2010 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Control Final Fantasy XIV officially with this PC controller

JC Fletcher — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 04:00:00 EST

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

Sure, you could play Final Fantasy XIV on PS3, if you like waiting. Or you could play it on PC with a (third-party PC controller based on a) PlayStation controller as soon as September 30. Sunflex, a third-party peripherals company, is releasing an officially licensed Final Fantasy XIV controller on that date, in Europe and the US, under its Snakebyte brand.

It bears a striking resemblance to the company's PS3 accessories, but in white -- and, more importantly, with the Final Fantasy XIV logo on it, so you know you're officially playing Final Fantasy XIV. Whether or not that officialness is an attractive enough quality to justify one of these is your call.

Control Final Fantasy XIV officially with this PC controller originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy returns to the San Francisco Symphony July 15 and 16

Randy Nelson — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

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

Following sold-out performances last year, the San Francisco Symphony will be performing two concerts next month featuring music from the Final Fantasy series. What's more, series maestro Nobuo Uematsu will be in attendance and appear at meet & greet events following the July 15 and 16 performances.

Continue reading Final Fantasy returns to the San Francisco Symphony July 15 and 16

Final Fantasy returns to the San Francisco Symphony July 15 and 16 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 26 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A massive controller for massively multiplayer PS3 games

JC Fletcher — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EST

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

Peripherals maker Hori is getting ready for Final Fantasy XIV on PS3, and getting ready to upsize your PS3 controlling experience. The company had this "PS3 MMO Controller" on display at its E3 booth, featuring a rather insane-looking tabletop left-hand thing, and a keyboard with PS3 analog stick and face buttons attached.

We say Hori is getting ready for FFXIV, but it's not ready yet. This controller was a "concept model" only, with no information about a release date or price.

A massive controller for massively multiplayer PS3 games originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIV beta will be PC-only

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:01:00 EST

For those of you holding fast to the hope that you'll get your hands on Square Enix's next MMO, Final Fantasy XIV, before the game's eventual release, it appears as though you'll need to get your hands on a Windows PC first. In a recent interview with Game Watch, FFXIV director Hiromichi Tanaka said the game's beta release will be on PC only.

Starting with a closed population of 10,000 people and eventually opening up to the public, the beta could be running at full capacity by as early as Summer 2010, according to Tanaka. Hopefully, by that point we'll be playing Final Fantasy XIII -- in English -- and no longer cracking jokes about FFXIV releasing before XIII ... Hopefully.

Gallery: Final Fantasy XIV

[Via RPG Site]

Final Fantasy XIV beta will be PC-only originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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