Even after seeing the footage, some fans speculated that it might not be a full-blown vehicle, and the take-off is just a short sequence that plays before the fast-travel menu opens. We can assure you, that is not the case; we flew the Regalia ourselves during our visit to Square Enix’s offices.
Our time behind the wheel was brief, but it was long enough to call up memories of flying iconic ships like the Blackjack and Highwind. It may not look like a traditional airship, but it functions similarly. The ground falls away after take-off and you soar in the sky, with full control over your movements. You travel quickly, but the world of Final Fantasy XV is much bigger than earlier installments, so it doesn’t seem like it would be possible to circumnavigate the globe in a matter of seconds. We didn’t get to attempt a landing, but the team told us that it isn’t as simple as pressing a button – and that the first landing is likely to be a rough one for many players.
As exhilarating as it may be to cruise through the air, don’t expect to get your wings easily or early. “The player will obtain the flying Regalia near the end of the game as an additional challenge,” says Final Fantasy XV director Hajime Tabata. “When certain conditions are met, the car is remodeled to the flying model.” That explains why the car looks so different in the tease shown at the Uncovered event; it’s the same car, but with extensive modifications.
From all the interviews of him, I really like Tabata and I think he's brought a lot of good changed to the XV project. I love that he made it a meritocracy system in the production of the game, and I love that he recognized that the FF series was actually failing and that they couldn't just do the same things and expect to stay a big presence in the market. Seems like making him the project lead is one of the best things SE did for the FF series in the last 10 years.
