'Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster' leaks early on the Xbox dash ahead of Microsoft's Tokyo Game Show presentation

What you need to know

Microsoft has a 45 minute long presentation at the Tokyo Game Show this week, showcasing their continued efforts to promote Xbox gaming in Asia.
On my podcast recently, I hinted that I’d heard more Final Fantasy games were slated to be revealed for Xbox at the event.
Now, it seems at least one of those has been confirmed, with a reddit user in Germany noting an advertising banner seems to have gone live prematurely.
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection comprises all the classic 2D Final Fantasy games, from Final Fantasy all the way to Final Fantasy VI, regarded by many as the peak of the franchise.
Final Fantasy 14 recently launched on Xbox and Final Fantasy 16 recently launched on Steam, but it could be a while before we see Final Fantasy 7 Remake hit Xbox.

As a seasoned video game analyst with over two decades of immersion in the gaming industry, I can confidently say that this potential leak of Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection for Xbox is a significant step forward for Microsoft’s ongoing quest to capture the Asian gaming market. Having closely followed the tumultuous relationship between Square Enix and Microsoft, it’s heartening to witness the slow but steady mending of fences.

Long suffering Final Fantasy fans on Xbox are about to get a reprieve, if this leak is accurate.

Recently on our Xbox Two Podcast, I disclosed some tips suggesting that Final Fantasy would be part of Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox Tokyo Game Show presentation, which is scheduled for September 26, 2024, happening later today. The event will stream live across multiple platforms at 3 AM PST / 6 AM EST / 11 AM BST and 7 PM JST. It seems that Microsoft might have inadvertently spilled the beans about one of the surprises.

Through Reddit, it appears some Xbox gamers in European regions speaking German were shown an ad for the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection, which translated reads “Now available.” However, at the moment, the link leads to an inactive store page. The text suggests that the game might be suddenly released (or “shadow dropped”) and become instantly accessible during the event.

The Collection of Pixel Remasters from Final Fantasy features all the Final Fantasy games up until Final Fantasy 6, a period often considered the peak of the franchise during its classic era. These games were groundbreaking and influential in terms of game music, storytelling, and the role-playing genre as a whole, and continue to be cherished for their nostalgic value by many fans.

Until now, it seems that these games have been exclusive only to consoles other than Xbox. Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games can be played on a variety of platforms such as Android, iOS, and many others, but unfortunately, for reasons unknown, Square Enix has not made them accessible on Microsoft’s console platform, Xbox.

During the latest Final Fantasy event, Phil Spencer from Xbox made an appearance alongside former Final Fantasy team members to discuss the upcoming launch of Final Fantasy 14 on Xbox. This was part of a larger collaboration that Microsoft has been actively pursuing, as a response to the exclusive deals for several Final Fantasy games, such as the remake of Final Fantasy 7, Rebirth, and the yet-to-be-released Final Fantasy 16, which have traditionally been PlayStation exclusives.

Despite being cherished by millions of older gamers worldwide, JRPGs from Square Enix have had difficulty attracting a contemporary audience among younger players, as acknowledged by the company itself. Titles like Final Fantasy 16 and Rebirth failed to meet their predicted sales figures, according to financial reports submitted to shareholders. To tackle this challenge, Square Enix has vowed to focus on releasing future games simultaneously on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. However, they face a potential hurdle as some users have criticized the optimization of Final Fantasy 16 on PC, suggesting that improvements are still needed in this area.

A step in the right direction

In recent years, Microsoft has put in significant effort to secure backing from Asian developers. They’ve successfully negotiated parallel releases for established anomalies such as Yakuza, and Atlus’ Persona series, including the upcoming Metaphor: ReFantazio. Moreover, they have finally secured Genshin Impact, a hugely popular global Chinese game, for Xbox, with a release date set for November 2024.

While there have been victories, Microsoft hasn’t managed to secure popular Asian games such as Phantom Zero, Stellar Blade, and Black Myth Wukong from third-party developers. However, it does boast some exclusive triumphs, like the recently released Palworld on PlayStation.

Despite repeated missed opportunities with each installment of Final Fantasy since Final Fantasy XV, Microsoft has been making amends, starting with Final Fantasy 14. This game, essentially Square Enix’s counterpart to World of Warcraft, is widely regarded as the top alternative in the MMORPG genre and represents a significant step towards bridging the gap for Microsoft.

It appears that it has been rumored that the entire lineup of Final Fantasy games, such as Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, are also planned for release on Xbox. However, it’s suggested that the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy may not be arriving immediately, with a greater chance of seeing Final Fantasy 16 before them. At this time, the exact timeline is uncertain. We can expect more details about Square Enix’s and Xbox’s plans for games in the Japanese and wider Asian regions later today at the Tokyo Game Show. Personally, I’m hoping that the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters will be available on Xbox Play Anywhere, allowing me to play them on my Lenovo Legion Go as well.

2024-09-26 03:39

‘Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster’ leaks early on the Xbox dash ahead of Microsoft’s Tokyo Game Show presentation

What you need to know

A step in the right direction

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