What you need to know
- Square Enix is a major Japanese publisher, known for the Final Fantasy series among others.
- In recent years, Final Fantasy began skipping the entire Xbox platform, opting for PlayStation exclusivity.
- Subsequently, Square Enix has denounced its exclusivity plans blaming declining sales, with aims to launch games on Steam for Windows more regularly.
- As an extension, the firm has also pledged support for Microsoft’s Xbox console, with games like Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, Legend of Mana, and Dragon Quest all slated for the console.
- Now, Square Enix has confirmed aims to bring flagship titles like Final Fantasy 16 across as well.
As an analyst with over two decades of experience in the gaming industry, I have witnessed the evolution of Square Enix from a niche Japanese developer to a global powerhouse. The news about Final Fantasy 16 coming to Xbox is indeed exciting and long overdue.
Recently, during an episode of my XB2 Podcast, I mentioned rumors about Square Enix potentially bringing all their Final Fantasy series games to Xbox, including Final Fantasy 16. It appears these speculations hold truth, as we now have some confirmation that this is indeed their strategy.
In a recent chat (through HazzadorGamin), the well-known figure at Square Enix, Naoki Yoshida (commonly referred to by fans as Yoshi-P), has verified that Final Fantasy 16 will be available on Xbox, but did not provide an estimated release date.
Final Fantasy XVI shifted the series towards a more action-oriented hack and slash style, drawing inspiration from games like Devil May Cry. While some fans missed the tactical combat seen in earlier installments, the game’s stunning fight sequences captured the attention of both new and returning players. However, until recently, it was exclusively available on PlayStation 5. Now, Final Fantasy XVI is also playable on Steam for PC, reaching a peak of approximately 27,000 concurrent players at its height. It’s intriguing to consider how much larger its player base might have been if it had launched simultaneously with the PlayStation version, leveraging the initial marketing push from its debut.
It appears that Square Enix has been vocal about their recent Final Fantasy series, stating they’ve fallen short of expectations (as reported by IGN). In response, Square Enix is shifting towards a multi-platform strategy, with games like the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster becoming available on platforms such as Xbox. Additionally, Naoki Yoshida has mentioned that they aim to make their games accessible to a wide range of players, including the MMORPG Final Fantasy 14, which competes with World of Warcraft. In simpler terms, Square Enix is planning to release their games on multiple platforms to ensure more people can enjoy them.
In a recent interview, Naoki Yoshida highlighted that Square Enix intends to make popular games such as Final Fantasy 16 available on Xbox too, although at this stage, it appears more like a goal rather than a current plan, considering the challenges Square Enix faces in transitioning to multi-platform game production.
Yoshida confirmed that the PC version of the game was announced, and they are aiming to also release it on Xbox. However, he couldn’t provide specific details about when the Xbox version would be available. He emphasized that while there’s no definite timeline at the moment, fans should not lose hope as they are eager to make this happen.
Based on reliable information I’ve received, it appears that Microsoft is collaborating extensively with Square Enix for the potential release of games such as Final Fantasy 16 and the remake of Final Fantasy 7 on Xbox. In an effort to mend past relationships, Microsoft has been actively reaching out to developers from Japan and the Asian region over the past few years, making a significant presence at events like the Tokyo Game Show to connect with various publishers and development teams.
Microsoft has put in significant effort to make popular games such as Genshin Impact, Yakuza, and Persona available on Xbox, and developers like Koei Tecmo and Square Enix have been gradually showing more interest in the platform recently as well.
Square Enix’s support of Xbox is very welcome
In a different part of the interview, Yoshida acknowledges that fans have requested a remake of Final Fantasy 9, which is often praised as one of the series’ finest moments. However, he notes that due to the game’s extensive size, a remake would likely need to be split into multiple parts, making it very expensive and risky. As evidence, he points to the massive undertaking that was Final Fantasy 7 for Square Enix, with the company admitting that both the FF7 Remake and Rebirth didn’t meet their sales expectations.
I wrote on Twitter earlier today that I’d love to see Square Enix revive classics like Parasite Eve with a Capcom-like flair, but not every game needs to have a massive AAA budget remake in order to be good. Would the PlayStation 1 version of Final Fantasy 9 benefit from a multi-part Unreal Engine 5 AAA extravaganza? Or could it still thrill new audiences in similar fashion to the modern Persona games, with text-based dialogue and more simplistic, albeit stylish visuals?
Over the years, it’s been fascinating for me, as a long-term fan, to observe the development of the Final Fantasy series. At first, I wasn’t particularly captivated by the shift towards hack n’ slash gameplay, but when I assessed Final Fantasy 7 Remake, I found that it blended the old and new elements effectively, creating a satisfying balance. However, it appears that wider audiences didn’t share my enthusiasm, as suggested by Square’s comments on sales. Instead, younger gamers seem to be drawn more towards the heavily anime-influenced JRPGs of late, such as Genshin Impact. Interestingly, Persona 5 Royal attracted nearly twice as many players on Steam compared to Final Fantasy 16, despite its high PC system requirements, which might limit its accessibility for a broader audience.
It’s likely that introducing Final Fantasy to Xbox will assist Square Enix in recuperating some expenses there, as they explore the future of Final Fantasy. I speculate that the success of future Final Fantasy installments might depend on reducing their visual demands to cater to a wider range of PC users, while also releasing them simultaneously across all platforms.
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2024-10-01 15:39