Skip to main content

Wada: Final Fantasy XIII could be delayed again, because of Dragon Quest IX

I found this on neogaf, an article about Square Enix and their possible plans for Final Fantasy XIII.


Translated:

"Wada Debates Releasing FFXIII in 2008

In an interview with Nikkei Torendinetto, Yoichi Wada discussed the release date of Final Fantasy XIII. According to the translation he said he is unsure whether to release Final Fantasy XIII the same year as Dragon Quest IX, since both are high profile games and that might hurt business.

However, the fact Wada said Final Fantasy XIII might be released in 2008 does implies that it is possible to release the game this year, so maybe the game's development is further along than we have previously been told."

This would be unfortunate if true. The Playstation 3 needs a high-profile JRPG to answer the Xbox 360's Lost Odyssey. With the current, overwhelmingly positive user reviews that the game is getting from JRPG gamers on forums everywhere, Lost Odyssey is quickly turning into a series that could threaten the dominance of the Final Fantasy brand. And with Mistwalker planning more JRPGs for this year (Cry On and Blue Dragon 2 are rumored) the problem could get only worse for Square Enix. Will they still be relevant for the worldwide market with all of these delays?

I've been reading online and what I've read is that a lot of gamers were really, REALLY burned by Final Fantasy XII and it's horrible gambit control system. Review sites everywhere gave FFXII glowingly positive reviews; and even Famitsu gave the game perfect scores. But if you check how it was received (even by gamers in Japan, surprisingly), it seems that most gamers really disliked the game, and it served as a wake up call for most people that Square Enix isn't really what it used to be. Granted, FFXIII and its five iterations will still sell well in the worlwide marketplace, but by delaying their games, they're giving Mistwalker an ample opportunity to make a case for the Western market and establish their brand, creating for Square Enix a bitter rival that will be difficult for them to topple.

Thirteen could very well be an unlucky number for Square....

Popular posts from this blog

More on PS3 Hardware Failures: AICN's Moriarty Hit By BDL

Earlier I posted about how the PS3 is no less susceptible to hardware problems. The issue was dubbed the 'BDL' (Blu-Ray Disc Laser problem) over on Pinoyxbox by the multi-console users in the community. You'd find a lot more information about this by searching for error 80010514 and 80029906. That said, I saw this post on AICN from Moriarty ....apparently he also got hit by the BDL problem. He had the console repaired by Sony, and when he got his replacement, he was hit by another problem: he encountered an issue while updating his PS3, causing his system to get bricked. So now he's had two broken PS3s in a row, and the system has lost his recommendation as a blu-ray player system of choice for consumers: "Regarding Moriarty’s Awesome Non-Stop Blu-Ray Coverage... Or Lack Thereof! Dear Sony... Y’know, some days it doesn’t pay to be a movie fan. I’ve done tons of DVD coverage over the years here at AICN, and it’s funny... I’ve heard some people actually say, “But yo...
Read more

Lost Odyssey Theme Song - "What You Are" by Sheena Easton

I've uploaded the theme song for Lost Odyssey in YouTube. Check out the video below: At first, I wasn't so into the song but when I heard it in full it grows on you. The song is actually quite beautiful. It was sung by Sheena Easton. With the lyrics from Hironobu Sakaguchi and the composition by Nobuo Uematsu. Very moving song, specially once you understand the lyrics. Below are the lyrics for the song "What You Are" by Sheena Easton When you touch me It feels just like a dream With the warmth that's in your eyes When you look at me I hear your voice beside me It whispers to me I can't hide how it makes me feel The shyness you see I may never Understand how deep it goes But I know how I feel What I hold deep in my heart There's just no way to stop this It's hopeless but true I feel this love More than anything So what more can I do You know I thought I would be much stronger than I am But then I feel the boldness that's inside my heart Just melt aw...
Read more

Gamers based in the Philippines: How to get in Xbox Live

NOTE: This article has recently been updated (as of August 12, 2006). Singapore no longer lets you input '00000' as your zip code. Please see below for alternate zip codes. So you're a Filipino living in the Philippines with a brand-spanking new Xbox 360. You've heard about all the wonderful stories on Xbox Live. You happen to have a pretty good broadband connection. One day, you try out the Xbox Live sign-up options on your 360, and you find out to your dismay that your country is NOT listed. What do you do? Now, you can probably enjoy your 360 without live at all, but I have to tell you: YOU ARE MISSING OUT. As Peter Moore said in the recent MS Press Conference: "Having your 360 connected to Xbox Live is as vital as having your computer connected to the Internet". He is so damned right. I've been playing on Xbox Live for almost a year now (both on my original Xbox and the Xbox 360). Essentially I found out all of this with a little bit of research, a lit...
Read more