Usually there’s a bit of a news boom at E3 – this is expected. This year there was a big surprise – the incredibly subtle announcement of the HD port of Final Fantasy Type-0 was a shock to everyone considering Square’s prior lack of interest in a western port.
The usual E3 rumours began early; amongst the anticipated announcements was a possible HD port of the polarising but solid PS2 gem Final Fantasy XII. This was met with disappointment – no mention of a port or anything related to XII. All we have to go on is Shinji Hashimoto’s “if the fans want it enough” and “there are currently no plans”.
The next shock came in the form of *gasp* the announcement of another mobile title. Except this time, it actually looks like a lot of fun. In my humble opinion – and as a fan of Final Fantasy VII since its first days back when I was 8 years old – this is exactly the kind of game Square should be developing for mobiles. The G-Bike minigame from FFVII is coming to mobile with a Crisis Core style facelift.
Recently, Final Fantasy Explorers was announced for the 3DS in Japan – Square Enix filed for a North American trademark for the title shortly thereafter. The game is a multiplayer action RPG in which players can choose classes with the objective of collecting crystals. Presumably there is some kind of overarching story involved, however little is known about the game so far.
Players will be allowed to select a class – so far Black Mage, White Mage, Knight and Monk have been confirmed. Previously Square Enix alluded to creating stronger mobile titles, and have also stated that they are moving in the classical direction with respect to the development of newer titles.
Classical comeback or mobile bust? We’ll see.
Since XV’s style has been set in stone since its announcement in 2006, let’s hope this means some very good things for a possible Final Fantasy XVI release (but it’s probably too early to think about that). On a console please Square. Not a handheld one.
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Really looking forward to see how G-Bike will turn out. =)
I’m looking forward to G-Bike more than anything else, to be honest. If Square Enix gets their butt into gear, maybe we can finally start expecting another new title to the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series, one that answers the question about Geneis and Weiss since the secret ending of Dirge of Cerberus 8 years ago. Plus, the game looks really fun, and I hope there’s more stages like Wutai and the Fort Condor for G-Bike. Wouldn’t that be cool?
That would be excellent. Or what I should say is: yes I’m looking forward to G-Bike, and yes I want them to conclude what they started with the compilation, even if some of it was mediocre at best.
The real question is, why have they seemingly forgotten that it’s unfinished? I had assumed it was simmering at the back of (perhaps Nojima or Nomura’s) mind – that this thing they created, this detailed sometimes retconned backstory and future to beloved VII – is actually still unfinished.
The realist in me now thinks that it isn’t that they’ve forgotten at all. The most alarming thing about Final Fantasy X’s audio drama is that Square-Enix as a company are content to leave it on that note – back where it started; unfinished. And maybe there’s some sort of poetic justice there in the back of their minds, because the end of Final Fantasy VII itself was a cliffhanger. There was a time when I thought that the financial difficulties Square faced may have forced them to pull an in-development title that may have concluded the Compilation. Now I see developer post-it notes on desks saying “much speculation for everyone” when they were deciding what the “secret” ending of Dirge would be. I’m now not convinced they ever intended to continue it. We actually have no evidence to that effect. The only thing we have is a quote saying “the Compilation could last for 20 years”. They’ve got three left.
First of all, thanks for agreeing with me, but I hate to say this; now I’m back to square one: No hope for Final Fantasy VII Compilation completion yet again. Final Fantasy XIII gets a happy ending and a mini continuum in novellas, and all Final Fantasy VII is getting now is a mini-game from the original game itself.
Though one of the Square Enix guys(Can’t remember his name), did mention that if G-Bike is successful, we could be expecting more Final Fantasy VII games(and not just more mini-games, ‘cuz that would ruin our hopes intirely) in the future, which could mean that Genesis might(hopefully along with Rufus and the Turks since they were absent in Dirge of Cerberus and Tseng, Reno and Rude made appearences in Crisis Core while Vincent, Barret, Nanaki and Cid were absent in that game) might make an appearence to solve the crisis of the cliffhanger, like the company’s doing for Kingdom Hearts which they had Sora and Riku meet the mastermind of the entire crisis of all worlds.
Then there’s that Novel-The Kids Are Alright-Final Fantasy VII:Lateral Turks-which was written back in 2011 which explained Kadaj’s appearence and Tseng and Elena’s future capture, which the ending(the epilogue of the book) led straight after the ending of Advent Children(considering how Nomura mentioned “Advent Children Complete is the end of the Advent Children Saga-but not the end of Compiliation of Final Fantasy VII”). If that’s not continuing the series and the many clues I’ve been seeing for the past few years(the Novel itself, Cloud’s outfit in Lightning Returns-Final Fantasy XIII, Cloud appearing in Kingdom Hearts X(Chi), Zack, Barret, Yuffie(who was a DLC character), Tifa(ACC) Cloud(ACC) and Reno(who is made a boss*Not to mention that everytime I see an image of him on the couch looking to the side towards Rude in Final Fantasy VII Advent Childnen Complete, I always fall in love with Reno*) in Theatryhem Final Fantasy-Curtain Calling, Tifa’s new model made early this year, the Final Fantasy VII OST concert, and even G-Bike game coming in fall in Japan this year)including this year, then I don’t know.
One thing that I know that they won’t do with the series however, which has been pretty much obvious for the past seven years, is that Square Enix will not be doing a remake of the original game. Pity they won’t do a remake of Before Crisis either(like they made a remake of Kingdom Hearts-Coded), as much as I wanted to see that ‘Missing Link’ed game of the Compilation.
Their biggest problem at the moment is Final Fantasy XV(originally named Versus XIII since 2006), and the failures of Final Fantasy XIII games(though they made a comeback with Bravely Default). So hopefully, if that game is released next year and that and G-Bike both make successes,(and no more working on XIII), with the sucess of Kingdom Hearts 3, (and Bravely Second maybe coming out next year, though I doubt that one will be release anytime soon, 2017-18 is the earliest release for that one), Final Fantasy VII Compilation will return at least one last time, and if we’re lucky(though probrably not), they’ll change their minds and extend the series after the 20th Anniversary of the original game until like, lesse, maybe the 25th Anniversary? My older sister’s workplace celebrated 25 years of being working, and only last year that the placement got a new boss.
So, let’s think plusible for now and hope by the continuing of this year and next year for future updates.
When you said ” one of the Square Enix guys(Can’t remember his name), did mention that if G-Bike is successful, we could be expecting more Final Fantasy VII games”, were you referring to this (or anything like it)?:
“G-Bike May Lead to Bigger Things for FFVII”
http://www.finalfantasy.net/vii/ffvii-gbike/
Yeah, that’s what I mean. Though I just remembered a couple of days ago that Final Fantasy X-2 was the very first Final Fantasy sequel and then a year later they started working on the Compilation starting with both Before Crisis mobile game and the film Advent Children, which both lead to the Novallas, Dirge of Cerbers, Crisis Core and Lateral Biography Turks-The Kids are Alright novel. Now I’m thinking that since they remastered both Final Fantasy X and it’s sequel to PS3 and made a new audio drama thingy last year, maybe G-Bike will lead to another Final Fantasy VII entry(and NOT the remake, because, c’mon, it’ll never happen) next year, since Before Crisis was released in 2004, and now, it’s 2014 and G-Bike come in, and back in 2005 in Japan, Advent Children came, and another year later, was Dirge of Cerberus, and then lead to the prequel Crisis Core(which Genesis was fully revealed after his ‘guest’ appearence in the secret ending).
At least, that’s what I’m hoping, but that’s just me, as usual, considering how Final Fantasy XV is Square Enix’s last hope in saving the company, but that’ll be very unlikely. I’m not being horrible or anything, but I don’t think XV or KH3 will cut it. Plus, the only remake close to in the series is Advent Children(well, techically, it’s the same film but all fixed up and added new scenes, including with the Turks*I still love Reno!*). And then there’s Kingdom Hearts’s compilation being remastered before KH3 comes out next year.
Honestly I’m glad resources aren’t being wasted on a XII remake. But outsourcing for it would be wicked cool. Get to make those cool games like a second gold saucer mobile game.
Tifa’s in the new Final Fantasy VII G-Bike game as a limit thingy for Cloud’s attack!
Where did you hear that?
Actually, I saw her in the new trailer that came out last week. Go to Youtube and type down the TGS trailer of Final Fantasy VII G-Bike. I was stunned when I saw her, and apparently other characters from the game will appear there too(like Vincent, Yuffie, Cid, Nanaki and Barret).
*Sigh*, It’s all true. I knew this for a long time; “Could” and “Might” are the two new complete translations of “No” now. I mean, they say “Could” and/or “Might” in everything, and 80% of it later says, “No” or “Cancelled” or “Changed their minds” or just “Forgotten”, and it’s very rare that those two simple words mean “Yes” and “Comfirmed”. That’s the unfortunate truth now these days, especially with the games that we seriously want.
Has anyone gotten any idea when Final Fantasy Type-0 is coming out next year? I’m thinking around march, but I’m not getting my hopes up. Well, at least FFVII G-Bike is out already. Came out last week.
Forget my last comment. Final Fantasy Type-0 is coming out in march next year along with the FFXV demo. Oh, and FFVII G-Bike is so awesome! Even Bahamut’s in there as a boss, and the new bikes are pretty cool too.