440°

Square Enix: Final Fantasy XIII Could Be Delayed Further

In a meeting with Japanese press to discuss their financial forecast, Square Enix Holdings were quizzed about both Dragon Quest IX, and Final Fantasy XIII. Both are obviously huge titles from an investors standpoint, and the answers given weren't exactly endearing.

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finalfantasyunion.com
Selyah5886d ago

Hmm well that bodes well....

Fat Bastard5886d ago

Square's and Mircrosoft's greed is biting all of us gamers in the ass. Unless you wanna look at the bright side of course. Now we all get more time to comment on n4g while waiting twice as long for Final Fantasy! Thanks Microsoft!

doG_beLIEfs5886d ago

Good job Sqeenix, way to go.

I really, really, really miss Squaresoft.

5886d ago
gaffyh5886d ago

For God's sake, just get the damn game out already. Stupid Square Enix, their biggest cash cow, and they keep delaying it.

OGharryjoysticks5886d ago

It's not Microsoft. Square Enix is the one to blame. If they didn't have the "name" Final Fantasy on the roster, they wouldn't be any better than Koei now because they haven't been in years.

SpoonyRedMage5886d ago

Except this is the JAPANESE RELEASE DATE!!! You know where they're only releasing the PS3 version!!!

GiantEnemyCrab5886d ago (Edited 5886d ago )

Spoony: Exactly. But what's a little fact when their busy doing the typical MS bash routine.

Blaze9295886d ago

Well you should already know people on this site comment first and read later...or dont read at all.

Its exactly as you say, its the japanese release date where its ps3 only, how can Microsoft or the Xbox 360 be the blame and even besides that, the 360 version has not even started yet and will not do so until the PS3 version is finished.

Nathan1235886d ago

I can't believe this... How much more time do they need? When the game will be out, it will be nearly half a Duke Nukem Life (5-6 years) in development. Being a FF title, I know it's gonna rock, but if the game turns out to be remotely disappointing, then SE will be in big trouble.

If they take half a decade to roll out a game, don't know when they will release FF vs 13.

I used to love these guys until they merged with Enix... And then the things started to change. Seriously, I don't blame them for turning greedy and selling FF13 to M$, but why should the PS3 gamers suffer? They themselves have said that only final touch-ups are left in PS3 version... So just do it already and release the game. Why the hell should we wait for the 360 version?

And people say that fanboys are ill mannered and curse M$... I mean who wouldn't? M$ should do what they do best... Software development. Go Sega way... Leave the hardware to other companies... And stop influencing PS3 game releases...

As far as FF goes... FF13 will rock, but SE has lost my respect.

Tony P5886d ago

Please read the article before going into attack mode. Information is your friend.

bpac1234567895886d ago

I've completely given up the idea of ever playing ff13 and to be honest I don't really care any more. There's so many great games that's coming out for both systems, so If square wants to drag there ass then let em. I'm not waiting anymore, the same goes for gran turismo 5. They've been developing for five years and still havnt announced a release date. If they don't give any update at e3 than F**** them too. As much as I love GT im not waiting for them anymore. There should be a rule that if u announce a game u should have to release it within the year, not 5 years in advance!

ultimolu5886d ago

Not surprised to say the least.
I'm sorry PS3 fans but once again, the N.A version for the PS3 will be gimped.

You have the one and only to thank for that.

ZuperAmazingCooKie5886d ago

maybe microsoft scored a new one, ffxiii on 360 in japan

FamilyGuy5886d ago (Edited 5886d ago )

It doesn't make sense, they said the game was almost complete just last month and that they were just putting the finishing touches on it.

About 360 development: The title is being worked on at the same time as the PS3 version but its "finishing touches" will be done after the PS3 version. (so yes, we were lied to when told otherwise before)

If there was a complication with the 360 version they might have to go back and change the PS3 version to make them the same and that might cause this delay.
Another possible reason would be including the Japanese voice overs in the american version (after hearing about our general interest in it) but something like that shouldn't have any effect on the japanese release date.
The only other possibility would be a huge bug that they recently found and need to iron out. They wouldn't want to release their flagship title bug ridden as they care more about this game than the other games they've released recently.

Jecht5886d ago

Who is willing to bet money that FF Versus XIII comes out before FFXIII?

aceitman5886d ago

microsoft paid to have it in japan too watch e 3 greedy micrsoft and now all gamers suffer

TheTwelve5886d ago

By the time this game comes out in America, it's going to look sooooo outdated.

12

pain777pas5886d ago

White Knight better be so good cause this is getting ridiculous. What is the holdup I mean the game looks pretty good and already I mean they said that it was just a matter of putting it together and polishing it up. This is incredible and I must say that M$ has screwed this franchise and by the time it comes out it may seem dated.

5886d ago
CrazedFiend5886d ago (Edited 5886d ago )

@SpoonyRedMage

True, except for that fact that what ever adjustments that have to be made so that it can fit into the Xbox have to be made to the actual game itself, and that is totally independent of and true across all regions.

For example, if a particular effect was in the game and then later found that it couldn't be done on the Xbox due to power, size or whatever reason, then that effect has to be taken out of the source code of the game REGARDLESS of region. So yes, even if FFXIII never sees the light of day in Japan, the Japanese version can STILL be delayed by the development of the Xbox version.

@Blaze

And come on man, are you kidding me? You haven't heard, have you? Square stated a while ago that they're working on the engines of both versions simultaneously now. And they've already said that the Xbox version will not be able to fit the original voices. The game's already being scaled back to fit the Xbox and delayed even more because SE has decided to divide its development resources.

Forgive me for repeating myself, but M$ SHOULD have waited until FFIV, when they've built a box that can fit the game...

Jaces5886d ago

Woops, guess they ran out of DVDs.

Matpan5886d ago

People just love to bash for the sake of it...

go figure.

MS is to blame for a delay in the release date where the game is a PS3 exclusive... yeah, sure.

My puppy died when I was 10 and I was very very sad. Guess who was to blame?

madjedi5886d ago (Edited 5886d ago )

By the time damn game finally comes out, the next gen will almost be here.

@1.20

You call another poster an idiot, after saying sony and playstation are the worst thing that happened in gaming.

Okay you retard if sony had never gotten into gaming we would still be playing mainly mario, zelda, pokemon type games, sega was almost dead. How about you know your gaming history(ps1 games vs n64 games) before spouting some horseshit like that.

fyi if sony hadn't made the ps1, you probably wouldn't have your precious xbox 360.

Now xbox fanboy if the ps3 has such crappy hardware, why is it ps3 exclusives are getting better and better looking all the time.

Want proof look at uncharted 2's gameplay footage, answer me this then why is it the 360 has to rely on multiplatform games to show its horsepower.

Does microsoft game studios have that little faith in their consoles hardware, they can't produce an exclusive that can go toe to toe visually with ps3 exclusives?

Statix5886d ago (Edited 5886d ago )

Looks like they're going to break their promise of "We'll finish the PS3 version before STARTING work on the 360 version." Well, if they haven't already.

skip2mylou5886d ago (Edited 5886d ago )

hey square can u get versus 13 out before we lose our minds!!!??? itd be better than having to wait for 13 to come out in 2013 because of how the team is taking their sweet damn time on it

AAACE55885d ago

There's no point trying to argue! Everyone is trying to look for something to blame, so they just go to what they hate the most...Microsoft!

Even though, SE reinterated several times over that they are creating the Ps3 version first, before doing anything for the 360 version. They are only making it for Ps3 in japan, so the 360 is not an issue.

So as much as you guys would like the believe this is somehow MS' fault... you can't ignore the facts.

This is N4G, and ignorance runs wild, so i'll say something stupid. Ms has screwed us all, FFXIII won't come out until 2015! WWIII will start because the world will be tired of waiting for FFXIII, and everyone will attack japan and america thinking they are in some conspiracy to keep FF games away from Ps3 gamers. MS will pay SE to never release FFXIII versus, because they are scared that it will make the 360 go the way of the Dreamcast.

That was kind of fun! I can see why people like being fanboys! You can say the most off the wall sh*t, and no one cares... hahaha!

You Already Know5885d ago (Edited 5885d ago )

the thing is.....there's only one difference between the game that Japan and the rest of the world gets....and that's voice dubbing...

it's not like Japan is getting a different version of the game..

so if they have to work a way around fitting the game onto enough DVD9's as well as on the 360 console while still keeping the game the way they want it...that would affect the Japanese version as well...

edit: also...whether or not they have started the 360 version or not is neither here nor there because you will never know...

why would they let you think that the 360 deal would slow the development of this game? They would rather make it seem as if they haven't even started porting it yet.....rather than working on a version that would work on both consoles?...nah never ahaha

+ Show (25) more repliesLast reply 5885d ago
ShawnCollier5886d ago

Not surprising. Until we get a clear date, it's going to keep shifting.

Marojado5885d ago

Agreed. Look at FFXII. Started production in 2001. It finally hit stores in Japan in 2006, and Hit Europe in 2007. That's a hell of a long development cycle.

somekyle5886d ago

I'm surprised they actually laughed, they're usually so tight lipped about that sort of thing o_O.

- Ghost of Sparta -5886d ago (Edited 5886d ago )

Thank you Microsoft. This could possibly mean that they're making further downgrades to the game as we speak. Square-Enix are dead to me.

5886d ago
Jecht5886d ago

You guys do understand don't you that just because this is the japanese release date, doesn't mean that it's NOT because of the 360 version right? The japanese version will not be optimized for the PS3, it will be the same as every other version, just released earlier. So, it's entirely likely that the 360 version is still the cause.

raztad5886d ago

Not quite sure why, you guys, are blaming MS. It seems SE is having troubles getting the game out, quite to be expected from them IMO. And btw, SE is the one suffering massive losses if they cant release the game before calendar year end. Well nvm at least, ps3 owners, got WKC to play this Winter.

Matpan5886d ago

@Jetch...

what does that has to do with this delay? The fact they decided to go multiplat is a square enix decission, which MS encouraged and Sony did nothing to prevent... guess who is there to blame?... the THREE companies.

You see, Square, for wanting to make more revenue. MS for dishing out the cash. Sony for leting one of their flagship titles escape from under their sleeves (yes, they could have encouraged square economically or with any other deal to prevent this to happen if they cared SO much for their franchise and customers).

This is a business, so you might see it as an ill fated move for you, but a wider audience is going to enjoy this game. It got a little delayed, big deal! it´s not like any other titles (including sony´s first and second party studio titles don´t get any delays and take ages to release... right? GT5... KZ2... any?) So why b1tch about another title getting released later...

And even then, this release is affecting the only place where the title is a PS3 exclusive, which surely has less to do with MS and the 360...

As for the "optimization" you are not getting. What makes you think the game was vamped to become multiplat. It might have been as well designed as a multiplat in mind from the go (even if they took their time to announce it would be that way). Or where you delissional enoguh to believe a 2005 E3 trailer with dubious CG(/or any previous footage that might have been release prior to the multiplat announcement for what that matters)*...

*for the record, I don´t recall any, but maybe there was(I was just trying to make a point, anyways)...

So as far as you are concerned, you cannot assure 100% that this is MS evil deed... if any, the 3 are to "blame".

Face it and get the game when it releases.

I did not murder him5886d ago

@4.3 they don't wan't to read they wan't to say what they say.

AAACE55885d ago

That's right man, they are probably downgrading it down to FFVIII quality. Or even worse FFIII quality.

Thanks alot MS;(

You Already Know5885d ago

jecht gets bubbles for that one....finally someone makes some sense...

You Already Know5885d ago

so you're saying that Sony should have paid Square to NOT put the game out on the 360?...

why would they be stupid enough to get manipulated like that?....

kevnb5885d ago

not that sony should have, but that would have been the only way ffxiii would have been exclusive to playstation... it just doesnt make business sense for ffxiii to be exclusive to 360 or ps3.

Matpan5885d ago

@You Already Know

Be it money or any other kind of arrangement... sitting and watching it just happen, specially for a flagship title like FF just doesn´t seem like the best thing to do.

It has nothing to do with manipulation, you either decide to protect something you consider "yours" or not. Sony clearly did not care, be it for business practice ethics, financial difficulties in the entertainment dept... Or maybe they did care, but square would only want to go multiplat for the cash, no matter what had sony to offer.

MS just did what they felt right for their console, get another title, and an important one, for what it matters. and now PS3 owners complain for a delay, when there was clearly no confirmed release date at all. I just find all this as a crybaby attitude. You sure had delays for no other reason than the game getting a LOT of time to develop in the past... How do you know this is not the case?

+ Show (9) more repliesLast reply 5885d ago
Haruhi Suzumiya5886d ago

How could it be delay when there was no released date for it yet!?!?!?!?!

mephman5886d ago

Well, at the end of the demo it said "Coming Winter 2009", so most people believed that was the prospective release period.

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120°

Final Fantasy and SaGa series veteran Kazuyuki Shindo leaves Square Enix after 27 years

Kazuyuki Shindo, who worked on games including Legend of Mana, Final Fantasy XIII, and SaGa: Emerald Beyond, has left Square Enix.

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70°

The 7 Best Final Fantasy Characters: Unveiling the Legends

While FFVII ranks highly, there's more to the series than one game. Here's Chit Hot's picks for the seven best Final Fantasy characters.

220°

The older it gets, the more I respect Final Fantasy XIII

Alex Donaldson: "Hindsight is a hell of a thing, however, and in the years since Final Fantasy XIII, my respect for the decisions its developers made has skyrocketed. In the two Final Fantasy titles since we see both the brilliance and the folly in alternative approaches - and in Final Fantasy VII Remake, we get a more nuanced understanding of what FF13 was trying to accomplish from many of the same development leads."

Einhander1972556d ago

FFXIII is actually one of the best Final Fantasy games.

I also sort of was disappointed at the time, never as much as the bandwagon. But really all the fantastic 3D rendered cutscenes and I actually liked the characters and the story though convoluted was actually fantastic and the ending was extremely emotional. So much budget and time were put into that game Square had such big plans, I actually have always felt kind of bad for how things played out.

I have been thinking for years how great it would be to get all three games on one disk for PS4 or 5.

Nyxus556d ago

I always liked this game, and I agree, a rerelease for current gen would be nice.

Shane Kim555d ago (Edited 555d ago )

Gotta take off the nostalgia glasses. It's the worst FF. Shiva as a bike, I mean come on.

Elda555d ago

Shiva as a bike is strange but saying FFXIII is the worst FF is not at all a fact, that's simply your opinion.

Terry_B554d ago

*One of the 3 equally bad FF's

DivineHand125555d ago (Edited 555d ago )

When I got my series X a year ago, I bought FF13 for nostalgia reasons but ended up being disappointed. When I first played it around the time it launched, I didn't have a lot of experience with final fantasy games, so I enjoyed it. Fast forward to when I played it again, I found that the game had many unnecessary filler moments instead of just giving us meaningful content.

The game is also very linear and a quote on the article said it best. "It is like a sewage pipe that leads to the ocean until it opens up on Grand Pulse."

The story didn't make much sense either and I believe it is my mistake as I played the FF7 remake on PS5 prior which is a night and day difference in terms of pacing, storytelling and likeable characters even though cloud is aloof.

FinalFantasyFanatic555d ago (Edited 555d ago )

Probably was a mistake to play any of the golden era FFs first (e.g. FF6 through FF10), it makes it harder to enjoy some of the FFs that aren't as good. I think FF12 was where major issues with the series started becoming apparent, and it just got worse from there.

FinalFantasyFanatic555d ago (Edited 555d ago )

I didn't really care for it that much, the only saving grace was that it had a better story than 15 (overall it was better than 15) and possibly 12, and even then, you had to read some of it through primers, like reading a book. Plus the battle system was reasonably fun for what it was, even if it was more the spectacle that was exciting for me (e.g. summoning). And to be fair, the 13 trilogy got better with every games, I still don't like Snow though.

Gamingsince1981554d ago

Ff13 is only good if you haven't played a ff before, or any other games that are decent for that matter.

-Foxtrot554d ago

It is in fact no way the best Final Fantasy game, it's one of the worst

Linear corridors, Cutscene, Fight, Cutscene...rinse and repeat

Dialogue and characters are pretty bad, especially Lightning as the main FF hero, they literally said they tried to make a "Female Cloud" and they failed.

Story was pretty awful

I could go on

I think the only alright thing that came from the game was the music.

Elda554d ago

That's not a fact that's your personal opinion. The game sold 11 million copies between its 2009 release up until 2014 including critically reviewed as an 8 out of 10 or an 80 out of 100. The game does have some issues but it's not at all a fact as one of the worst FF games.

-Foxtrot554d ago

Elda

Not just mine mate

A large majority

So….

Traecy554d ago

N4G commenters such as yourself aren't the majority. The game was well received.

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gold_drake556d ago (Edited 556d ago )

i liked the game alot but i didnt like how they handled the terminology.

i dont mind reading data logs but it had soo many.

but i always loved the music and how it looked. the battle system wasnt too bad either.

but i like 13-2 more :)

i still dont understand why we never got a remaster of the trilogy

Eonjay554d ago

Xbox kinda did. Besides the video files of course which are still best on PS3 due to bluray.

Snookies12556d ago

XIII is a pretty solid game, but XIII-2 is WAY better. XIII-2 was one of the few games I decided to go for a Platinum trophy in, early on. Had so much fun the entire way through getting it too!

Eonjay554d ago

Totally agree. FF 13 was okay but 13-2 is my favorite FF game ever.

shinoff2183556d ago (Edited 556d ago )

I hated this to when it released. I haven't much liked a ff game since ff10 as much , aside from ff7remake. I decided to give it another shot on my series x since it's not on a current ps and was liking it quite a bit(just takes me some time to get over things ) until star ocean 2 remake came out I was all over that.

Square should definitely remaster it or something for ps4 ps5

KillerB555d ago

my favorite jrpg trilogy ever

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