We're not certain how many months of grinding it took this anonymous cameraman (or woman!) to level up high enough to brave Square Enix's impenetrable fortress, but we do know our hero scored big. Nearly two minutes of Final Fantasy Versus XIII CG footage (shaky as it is) is like the equivalent of all the gil that's stuffed inside the Shinra vault. Better yet, it's aged footage, the type of mana-oozing fluff reel -- note the pretentious, clichéd text in italiano, ovviamente -- that's only ever been eye-balled by suits and trusted VIPs. So let us all take a moment of silence, and push from our minds the gruesome fate that must have befallen our dear hero in the final, and sudden instant that this video is abruptly cut short. Thank you, oh noble ally of the masses, your contribution will not soon be forgotten.
When is Final Fantasy XIII coming out? To deliver even a vague answer, you'll need to consider the long and winding path the immensely anticipated RPG still has to take -- and the Xbox 360 version isn't about to take a shortcut. Speaking at a special Square Enix Q&A event at E3, Square Enix exec Shinji Hashimoto detailed the developer's strategy, taking care to consider not only the game's multiplatform development, but its localization period as well.
Final Fantasy XIII is currently being developed using Square Enix's "Crystal Tools" technology with the PC as base platform. "As we have already announced, we will complete the PS3 version in Japan," explained Hashimoto. "After that, we will start the localization for US and Europe." Once localization is underway, Square will begin development of the Xbox 360 version, with the aim of releasing it in America (with no meaningful content changes) alongside the localized PlayStation 3 version. "Because of languages and other conditions, it may not release in US and Europe simultaneously," noted Hashimoto.
Convenient summary: Final Fantasy XIII isn't coming out soon.
It's not often you get to see new footage of Final Fantasy XIII. But, that's exactly what we have here. Moments after announcing an Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII, Square Enix has released a trailer that still touts its PS3 exclusivity. There's tons of new pre-rendered footage to be feast upon, and a little bit of real-time content ... and it all ends with "for PLAYSTATION 3 Only ... in Japan."
The Square Enix conference was all about one thing: Final Fantasy XIII. Today's startling announcement was on the mind of everyone in attendance. As a result, journalists were quite fixated on the topic.
According to Siliconera, Final Fantasy XIII's 360 port has not been announced for release in Asia. The team is currently focused on finishing the Japanese PS3 version of Final Fantasy XIII. "The priority is to bring it to the PS3 first." Once the game releases in Japan, the team can then work on localization and porting it to the Xbox 360. This may mean we're going to suffer through an intolerable wait for an English-language release.
The main reason behind today's announcement is obvious: the Xbox 360's significant userbase in countries not named "Japan." However, although Final Fantasy XIII has been announced for Microsoft's console, Versus XIII is still in development as a PS3 exclusive. Of course, considering today's revelation -- will that exclusivity truly last?
Sorry, Sony. The Xbox 360 is finally going to get a blockbuster RPG. Square has announced at the Microsoft press conference that Final Fantasy XIII is going to be released on Xbox 360 the same day as PS3 in North America and Europe. What a huge coup for Microsoft, and what a great piece of news for Xbox 360 owners who also happen to be great console RPG lovers.
In one of the more clever Munnies we've seen in this rampant Munny craze, here's Kefka from Final Fantasy VI, care of Tomopop. Check out the highlights for today:
With 2008's edition of E3 just days away, the role-playing steam engine that is Square Enix has revealed what titles that it will spring on press types as they shuffle past. Of the eleven titles on display, the company's lineup this year is noticeably remake and sequel heavy, with over half of the games representing a return to the well for another drink. Boasting "simultaneous global releases for several platforms," the company has also re-confirmed dates for much of its lineup as well, with the following games also noted as being playable during the show:
In a statement issued to Eurogamer, Square Enix has denied a recent report which stated that Final Fantasy Versus XIII had been put on hold in order to prioritize completion of regular ol' Final Fantasy XIII. According to a translated Famitsu interview with Versus director, Tetsuya Nomura, work on the spin-off title had been temporarily suspended while staffers helped out on the next highly anticipated, and not even remotely final, Final Fantasy installment.
"Reports that development for Final Fantasy Versus XIII is on hold are false," countered Square Enix. "The truth of the situation is that when free, some staff from the Versus team have been helping with the XIII team on development of Final Fantasy XIII. Development for both titles is continuing as originally scheduled."
That almost sounds like good news, until you realize that the "originally scheduled" release date for either title is likely quite far off. And that makes us so very, very sad.
Final Fantasy Versus XIII has been temporarily suspended and its programming team transitioned into assist mode, according to a translation of a Famitsu interview with Versus director Tetsuya Nomura (scanned here). Nomura explained that Square Enix's top priority is completing work on Final Fantasy XIII, which means the Versus team has placed its project on ice and headed across the hall to lend a hand. A few remaining designers are still working on conceptual art for Versus, and the story is supposedly complete. Despite the stoppage, Nomura did confirm that Versus will still be featured at Square Enix's pretentious, invite-only "DKΣ3713" event in August, alongside Plain Old Final Fantasy XIII, in non-playable format (read: "a minute of ambiguous footage in a closed theater").
Update: Square Enix has denied the report, but has confirmed that staff members from Versus are aiding FFXIII's development.
It's actually pretty difficult for us to tell if the above trailer is any good -- you see, when the original Final Fantasy TacticsAdvance came out, we played it until our GBA SP's brilliant backlight peppered our poor eyeballs with cataracts. From what we can tell through blurs and blind spots, Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift looks similar to it's last-gen predecessor, with a few minor graphical tweaks and improvements in sound. Considering Square-Enix has added a handful of new classes and races, and yet another lengthy single-player campaign, we're wondering where we can find a black market eyeball dealer/installer in our neck of the woods, and if they can pencil us in before the game's June 24 release date.
Before you question how you're able to read Shigeru Miyamoto's thoughts (let alone visualize them in a speech bubble in clear, easy-to-read text), we would like to ask you about your thoughts on Wii Fit? Do you have it? Want it, but can't find it? The latter story seems to be the one most can identify with right now, so we figured we'd compile a list of some alternatives, which consist of past combinations of gaming and exercise (exergaming, if you will), along with a little bit of our own flair tossed in.
Square Enix is releasing a Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII PSP bundle for Europe to coincide with its June 20 release. The bundle includes a PSP Slim with the above art and a copy of the game for 189,90 Euros (US $293.43). According to Amazon France, if you bought a PSP Slim (169,20 Euros) and Crisis Core (36,99 Euros) separately, it'd cost you 20,70 Euros (US $32) more, so it's definitely a good deal to pick up the bundle (assuming, of course, you don't already have a PSP).
Fun fact: When the title finally reaches Europe, it will have been over 9 months since the Japanese launch and 3 months since the North American debut.
While video game music is no longer simply the series of 'beeps' and 'boops' it was in the past, it has nonetheless remained one of game design's -- groan -- unsung heroes. This isn't lost on tune-focused Music4Games, and in a recent interview with Kingdom Hearts composer Yoko Shimomura, she spoke out on a number of topics, including her thoughts on creating music for the PlayStation 3.
According to Shimomura, who is responsible for the tunes we'll be humming along to in Square Enix's upcoming Final Fantasy Versus XIII for the PS3, composing on Sony's current platform is much less limiting than it was in previous generations. "With the PlayStation 2, sound production...was a constant battle with memory and limitations," she recalled, adding that "with the PlayStation 3, I'm expecting to have it sound the way I please, without limitations." It's encouraging to hear someone at any level talk about creating content on the PS3 that doesn't involve the words "difficult" or "costly." However, with Square Enix continuing to play coy with regards to when its decade of Final Fantasywill actually kick off, it may be some time before our ears ring with the fruits of Yoko Shimomura's musical labor.
"Boxes? Where we're going we don't need boxes!" So we presume the dialogue went, as Square Enix's MMO Final Fantasy XIeschewed its cardboard, real-world prison for digital distribution. The PC version of the title is still available in "old-school" format, though players can now download the title -- and all its expansions -- from Direct2Drive.
Final Fantasy XI and its expansions are being sold through Direct2Drive for $19.95 each. Instruction manuals are also available, which is super-nice of them.
We're quickly becoming big fans of Scrollbar, an excellent pub with an excellent name, located near the IT University of Copenhagen in Denmark. They previously entranced us with their Mario theme night, and have now blown us away with their evening of Final Fantasy, complete with cosplay and custom drinks.
What were they serving? A green lemon-lime concoction called a Life Stream, a "virgin" red drink called the Aerith (LOL), and an adorable pink sweet concoction called a Moogle. Shots included a devilish One Winged Angel (aka Sephiroth), and a Phoenix Down, for the hardiest of battles. All ingredients and directions can be found on their site (but please drink responsibly, folks; those Phoenix Downs don't actually work).
