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[Doom_Bringer]

Square Enix president says the much-anticipated RPG will likely miss its spring 2005 release, outlines new monthly game-ship strategy.

TOKYO--Fans eager to get their hands on Final Fantasy XII may have to keep waiting. Square Enix president Youichi Wada recently told Bloomberg that the PlayStation 2 role-playing game will probably not be released in the spring of 2005, as previously anticipated, adding that the company has not set a firm date for the newest installment in the Final Fantasy series.

However, Wada said that starting April 1, Square Enix will release a new game every month. April 1 marks the two-year anniversary of the merger between Square Co., Ltd. and Enix Corporation. Wada said the monthly schedule will let Square Enix continue updating its franchises, which include Dragon Quest and Star Ocean. He added that Final Fantasy XII's release date will be chosen to ensure its sales won't compete with those of Square Enix's other top sellers.

Square Enix also plans to boost its worldwide sales. Currently, about 30 percent of Square Enix's game sales take place outside of Japan. Wada told Bloomberg that he hopes to increase that number to more than 50 percent. He added that Square Enix is considering a variety of tactics to achieve that goal, including strengthening its foreign sales network and acquiring other companies.

For more on Final Fantasy XII, which debuted at E3 2004, see GameSpot's previous coverage.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/02/16/news_6118661.html

damn! Wonder whats going on with this game? :lol :lol

 

[Solid]

Square is the new Rare.

 

[Doom_Bringer]

Square is the new Rare.

Haha that rhymes!

:lol

Unlike Rare they have actually released several killer games in Japan (Raidata Stories and DQVIII being the latest).

 

[Razoric]

I wonder... is it that they are insanely polishing FFXII up to be one of the most perfect, flawless, wonderful gems on the market or is it going through a massive restructuring because the initial version internally tested sucked ass?

 

[The End]

FFXII will be released in November in the US to go up against the Xenon launch.

 

[Tabris]

Square is the new Rare.

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST™ and the Broken Angel
KINGDOM HEARTS® CHAIN OF MEMORIES
FINAL FANTASY® I & II: DAWN OF SOULS
STAR OCEAN™ Till the End of Time™
FRONT MISSION® 4
FINAL FANTASY® Crystal Chronicles
DRAKENGARD™
SWORD OF MANA™
FINAL FANTASY® X-2

versus

GRABBED BY THE GHOULIES

See, unlike other companies, the main Final Fantasy series (not the side games or sequels or games that use it's name) get a lot of development time, money and effort. You'll never see a weak Final Fantasy game on the technical side of things.

 

[Elios83]

I just hope that with all the time they're taking (this game has been in development for more than 3 years) this game will be the new FFVII in terms of quality.

 

[Doom_Bringer]

I just hope that with all the time they're taking (this game has been in development for more than 3 years) this game will be the new FFVII in terms of quality.

the game has been in development for more than 4 years!

 

[sonycowboy]

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST™ and the Broken Angel
KINGDOM HEARTS® CHAIN OF MEMORIES
FINAL FANTASY® I & II: DAWN OF SOULS
STAR OCEAN™ Till the End of Time™
FRONT MISSION® 4
FINAL FANTASY® Crystal Chronicles
DRAKENGARD™
SWORD OF MANA™
FINAL FANTASY® X-2

versus

GRABBED BY THE GHOULIES

You're missing alot there on the square side. Is that just in the past year or so?

 

[Solid]

:lol

Unlike Rare they have actually released several killer games in Japan (Raidata Stories and DQVIII being the latest).

I know, I keed. But all this FFXII and FF:AC delays is kinda annoying.

 

[Tabris]

Yeah, I just grabbed everything from X-2 onward.

 

[The End]

man, FFX-2 was technically polished, but the game itself sucked a big bag of ass.

 

[Guns N' Poops]

I imagine the game is getting uber polish, especially the visuals. Matsuno said they will work on the visuals all the time they have. There were nice environment mapping effects and a lot of geometry/NPCs (which makes it the opposite to FFX) in the E3 demos, but also circle shadows and pop-up.
Another game that is probably getting a lot of polish is Dirge of Cerberus: FFVII. Nomura said it will surprise the people and the genre is actually not confirmed, even if it looked like a shooter in the small trailer. That's why we haven't heared anything about it for a while.

 

[Tabris]

man, FFX-2 was technically polished, but the game itself sucked a big bag of ass.

I excluded it with the whole side game/sequel thing.

 

[Elios83]

the game has been in development for more than 4 years!

4 years??
Developement started in 2001?
When FFX was released??

 

[Guns N' Poops]

4 years??
Developement started in 2001?
When FFX was released??

Juli 2001 in Japan. The FFXII concept started at that time at an other team.

 

[Doom_Bringer]

4 years??
Developement started in 2001?
When FFX was released??

Yeah! I saw really awesome FFXII timeline on IGN, I will post it when I find the link.

 

[jarrod]

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST™ and the Broken Angel
KINGDOM HEARTS® CHAIN OF MEMORIES
FINAL FANTASY® I & II: DAWN OF SOULS
STAR OCEAN™ Till the End of Time™
FRONT MISSION® 4
FINAL FANTASY® Crystal Chronicles
DRAKENGARD™
SWORD OF MANA™
FINAL FANTASY® X-2

versus

GRABBED BY THE GHOULIES

See, unlike other companies, the main Final Fantasy series (not the side games or sequels or games that use it's name) get a lot of development time, money and effort. You'll never see a weak Final Fantasy game on the technical side of things.

Well... to be fair you'd need to add in Rare's GBA stuff the past year or so...

Donkey Kong Country 2
Donkey Kong Country 3
Banjo Pilot
It's Mr Pants!
SabreWulf
Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge

 

[Tabris]

Those games came out? I never saw a single one of those games in any stores.

 

[Elios83]

Juli 2001 in Japan. The FFXII concept started at that time at an other team.

That's really an insane amount of time,it's not even their first project on the hardware,so they should know how to develop a game quickly on the platform.
At this point I guess they're trying to do something really huge,like creating a full 3d world like that of FFXI but with the details and characterization of the traditional offline FF games.
Also the game was already up and running in english in May 2004 and impressions were absolutely positive so I doubt the team is having major problems.

 

[Razoric]

Well... to be fair you'd need to add in Rare's GBA stuff the past year or so...

Donkey Kong Country 2
Donkey Kong Country 3
Banjo Pilot
It's Mr Pants!
SabreWulf
Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge

They were talking about GAMES... not ports or worthless shit.

 

[thorns]

They were talking about GAMES... not ports or worthless shit.

worthless shit? sabre wulf is one of my favorite gba games actually..

 

[jarrod]

They were talking about GAMES... not ports or worthless shit.

Then how'd FFX2, FMA or FF1+2 sneak into the Square list?

I also see games developed by people outside Square Enix in the SE list. :/

 

[The End]

being that this is a S+E topic, i might as well ask this here.

How bad is Drakengard? Is it worth $30? $15?

I need something to kill the time before DMC3 comes out, and the pre-rendered cinemas in Drakengard are so pretty

 

[soundwave05]

I think this is a good thing.

Haven't been particularly impressed with FFX or FFX-2, I mean if you've waited this long for FFXII, you can wait a few more months.

Who exactly was happy that Zelda: The Wind Waker came out on time but was missing two dungeons in the end?

I rather would have waited 3-4 months if that's what it takes to add that extra layer of polish.

FFXII is really the PS2's last hurrah anyway.

 

[android]

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST™ and the Broken Angel
KINGDOM HEARTS® CHAIN OF MEMORIES
FINAL FANTASY® I & II: DAWN OF SOULS
STAR OCEAN™ Till the End of Time™
FRONT MISSION® 4
FINAL FANTASY® Crystal Chronicles
DRAKENGARD™
SWORD OF MANA™
FINAL FANTASY® X-2

versus

GRABBED BY THE GHOULIES

See, unlike other companies, the main Final Fantasy series (not the side games or sequels or games that use it's name) get a lot of development time, money and effort. You'll never see a weak Final Fantasy game on the technical side of things.

Someones touchy

 

[The End]

if the PS1-PS2 transition is any guide, i'd expect the PS2 to see a few top-tier titles even after the release of the PS3.

 

[jarrod]

Anyway, since I can't resist a good list... here's Square vs Rare developed games for this generation. I'm not counting Enix side stuff either (though pretty much all that's co-developed or outsourced entirely anyway) and just US confirmed releases.

Square
-Final Fantasy X (PS2)
-Kingdom Hearts (PS2)
-Unlimited SaGa (PS2)
-Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (GBA)
-Final Fantasy X-2 (PS2)
-Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles (GC)
-Final Fantasy XI: Online (PC/PS2)
-Front Mission 4 (PS2)
-Final Fantasy I&II: Dawn of Souls (GBA)
-Musashi: Samurai Legend (PS2)
-Final Fantasy XII (PS2)
-Kingdom Hearts II (PS2)

RARE
-Star Fox Adventures (GC)
-Donkey Kong Country (GBA)
-Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge (GBA)
-Sabre Wulf (GBA)
-Grabbed by the Ghoulies (XB)
-Donkey Kong Country 2 (GBA)
-It's Mr Pants! (GBA)
-Banjo Pilot (GBA)
-Conker: Live and Reloaded (XB)
-Donkey Kong Country 3 (GBA)

 

[jarrod]

if the PS1-PS2 transition is any guide, i'd expect the PS2 to see a few top-tier titles even after the release of the PS3.

Not from Square Enix though. We might get secondary some stuff like a DQ6 remake or a new Seiken Densetsu or something though, but FF/DQ/KH proper will all be moved to PS3.

 

[The End]

Not from Square Enix though. We might get secondary some stuff like a DQ6 remake or a new Seiken Densetsu or something though, but FF/DQ/KH proper will all be moved to PS3.

FFIX and Xenogears were both released in the US after the PS2 launch.

I'd imagine Dirge of Cerberus may suffer a similar fate.

 

[Tabris]

FFIX and Xenogears were both released in the US after the PS2 launch.

I'd imagine Dirge of Cerberus may suffer a similar fate.

Huh? Xenogears? You're thinking maybe Chrono Cross?

 

[jarrod]

FFIX and Xenogears were both released in the US after the PS2 launch.

I'd imagine Dirge of Cerberus may suffer a similar fate.

I really doubt Dirge of Cerebrus releases after fall 2006. And even then, that's just a action game spinoff, hardly anything too major.

Also, Xenogears and FFXI were both released well before PS2 launch. FFXI released against Dreamcast in 1999, Xenogears was before that even.

 

[The End]

Huh? Xenogears? You're thinking maybe Chrono Cross?

yeah. my bad

and FFVIII launched against the Dreamcast. FFIX launched a year later.

 

[zylo]

I wonder... is it that they are insanely polishing FFXII up to be one of the most perfect, flawless, wonderful gems on the market or is it going through a massive restructuring because the initial version internally tested sucked ass?

probably the latter. If they cared about polishing/perfecting their games that much FF8(no offense to those who like it for me it was the worse FF) would never have been released. There is definiately something wrong with game otherwise it wouldn't be getting all these delays.

 

[Diomedeskun]

being that this is a S+E topic, i might as well ask this here.

How bad is Drakengard? Is it worth $30? $15?

I need something to kill the time before DMC3 comes out, and the pre-rendered cinemas in Drakengard are so pretty

In small chunks, Drakengard is decent. It's just very repetetive, lacks many of the features from similar games, and has awful flight only segments that are all exceedingly similar and are at best much weaker than the worst parts of any Panzer Dragoon.

It actually has a decent story that is one of the darker fantasies out there (like a tamer Berserk) with an even more dysfunctional cast than Maze (strongly implied incest, pedocidal inclinations, and many more just among the "good guys"). Some of the gameplay is quite fun and many of the attacks are very cool, especially the magic and the alternate characters, but the weapon system needs a great deal of work and much of the game is deja-vu.

Still, you can unlock a fighter jet to replace your dragon after winning the game. The game also has the nicest menus I've ever seen (cool to me since I have a background in visual layout, even if noone else cares).

Not a bad $15, not a good $30.

 

[Bizarro Sun Yat-sen]

4 years??
Developement started in 2001?
When FFX was released??


Juli 2001 in Japan. The FFXII concept started at that time at an other team.

It really started around the end of 2001 after the initial PlayOnline beta. The core staff of FFXII were attached to the PlayOnline project.

 

[Zilch]

He added that Final Fantasy XII's release date will be chosen to ensure its sales won't compete with those of Square Enix's other top sellers.

Um, shouldn't this be the other way around? Way to go, Square.

You guys are getting a lot of dates messed up in this thread...

Xenogears = 1998
FFVIII = sept. 1999
FFIX = sept/oct 2000
Chrono Cross = summer 2000

 

[Bizarro Sun Yat-sen]

I'm not counting Enix side stuff either (though pretty much all that's co-developed or outsourced entirely anyway) and just US confirmed releases.

Is that really fair, considering that Rare and not Square is based in an English-speaking country?

 

[Grizzlyjin]

If it weren't for the E3 2004 demo, this would be added to my list of games that I don't think truly exist. Right there with Mario 128 and The Warriors. :lol

 

[djtiesto]

Square Enix president says the much-anticipated RPG will likely miss its spring 2005 release, outlines new monthly game-ship strategy.

TOKYO--Fans eager to get their hands on Final Fantasy XII may have to keep waiting. Square Enix president Youichi Wada recently told Bloomberg that the PlayStation 2 role-playing game will probably not be released in the spring of 2005, as previously anticipated, adding that the company has not set a firm date for the newest installment in the Final Fantasy series.

However, Wada said that starting April 1, Square Enix will release a new game every month. April 1 marks the two-year anniversary of the merger between Square Co., Ltd. and Enix Corporation. Wada said the monthly schedule will let Square Enix continue updating its franchises, which include Dragon Quest and Star Ocean. He added that Final Fantasy XII's release date will be chosen to ensure its sales won't compete with those of Square Enix's other top sellers.

Square Enix also plans to boost its worldwide sales. Currently, about 30 percent of Square Enix's game sales take place outside of Japan. Wada told Bloomberg that he hopes to increase that number to more than 50 percent. He added that Square Enix is considering a variety of tactics to achieve that goal, including strengthening its foreign sales network and acquiring other companies.

For more on Final Fantasy XII, which debuted at E3 2004, see GameSpot's previous coverage.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/02/16/news_6118661.html

damn! Wonder whats going on with this game? :lol :lol

Why would the mayor of NYC give a shit about FFXII? :lol

But seriously, this sucks... I've been waiting for a good FF for a few years now - and this means the English version will not come out till 2006 probably

 

[Red Scarlet]

How long did Dragon Quest 7 take to finally come out? I keep thinking it was a loooooooooooooooooong time (like 4/5 years), but not Duke Nukem Forever (best named game evar).

Who here is going to get the JP version of FF12 anyway? Curious as to who to blab with.

 

[Odnetnin]

OH SNAP. I can't wait for this one. FFX-2 was visually one of the top titles this gen. I can't wait to see what SE has instore for us. I hope the delay is largely for polish + bug hunting. They've done this now like a bazillion times (make great RPGS) so I don't see this delay as anything bad.

 

[Jonnyram]

One game every month? Place your bets.

I reckon:
Mar 24: Egg Monster Heroes
Apr 21: Romancing SaGa
May 26: Hanjuku Hero 4
Jun: Drag-on Dragoon 2
Jul: Final Fantasy XII
Aug: Musashiden II: Blade Master
Sep: FFCC DS
Oct: Final Fantasy III
Nov: Kingdom Hearts II
Dec: Dirge of Cerberus: FFVII
Jan: Front Mission V
Feb: Ambrosia Odyssey

 

[duckroll]

How long did Dragon Quest 7 take to finally come out? I keep thinking it was a loooooooooooooooooong time (like 4/5 years), but not Duke Nukem Forever (best named game evar).

Who here is going to get the JP version of FF12 anyway? Curious as to who to blab with.

Well, when I last checked......

2001 May　FFXII announced in development for PS2 with Matsuno in charge.
2002 May　FFXII will be released in 2003.
2002 Dec　Famitsu announces staff and shows the famous image illustration poster.
2003 May　FFXII announcement later in 2003 planned.
2003 Sept Official FFXII website opens, FFXII press conference on 19th Nov announced.
2003 Nov　Press Conference, release date scheduled for Summer 2004.
2004 May　Release rescheduled between 2004 Winter to 2005 Spring.
2004 Sept FFXII scheduled for 2005 Spring.

It's almost 4 years since they first announced it. DQ7 was only 3.5 years between the first announcement and the eventual release.

 

[Bebpo]

One game every month? Place your bets.

I reckon:
Mar 24: Egg Monster Heroes
Apr 21: Romancing SaGa
May 26: Hanjuku Hero 4
Jun: Drag-on Dragoon 2
Jul: Final Fantasy XII
Aug: Musashiden II: Blade Master
Sep: FFCC DS
Oct: Final Fantasy III
Nov: Kingdom Hearts II
Dec: Dirge of Cerberus: FFVII
Jan: Front Mission V
Feb: Ambrosia Odyssey

You are a nice person Jonnyram but sir you are indeed crazy! This one a month thing is 99% sure a way to pad FFXII until as far away as possible.

My schedule is:
June: FF3
July: Musashi-den
August: Dragon-on Dragoon 2
September: KH2
October: Front Mission Online
November: FF7: DC
Dec: FFXII

IMHO

 

[Troidal]

For once a Final Fantasy sequel is not coming out every year.

In the meantime, they're whoring out the good ol' VII aye.
X-2 was enough whoring IMO, but oh wth...

 

[duckroll]

You are a nice person Jonnyram but sir you are indeed crazy! This one a month thing is 99% sure a way to pad FFXII until as far away as possible.

My schedule is:
June: FF3
July: Musashi-den
August: Dragon-on Dragoon 2
September: KH2
October: Front Mission Online
November: FF7: DC
Dec: FFXII

IMHO

Well sorry but you're crazy too!

My predictions are:
June - Musashiden
July - KH2
Aug - DragonDragoon2
Sept - FFXII
Oct - FMO
Nov - FF7DC
Dec - FF3 DS

 

[john tv]

With this kind of delay, XII better blow my ass to kingdom come.

Then again, XIII is prolly already well underway, so whatever.

I don't think they're going to release ONLY one game a month. I think they'll just have one headliner per month, at least. Surely there will be some months when more than one game comes out; just 12 games a year is nothing for a company like Square Enix.

 

[robertsan21]

well i think it is good that this game was delayed i have not been impressed by it so far, i want my FF to be awsome in graphics,story and gameplay.

the graphics in what we so far have seen is not up to my standars.

and the gameplay seems like shit!

and i dont like the style of the game, to much of men in stupid armor style.

i love FF IX and VI style alot more

 

[Jonnyram]

I don't think they're going to release ONLY one game a month. I think they'll just have one headliner per month, at least. Surely there will be some months when more than one game comes out; just 12 games a year is nothing for a company like Square Enix.

This is true, and I agree. My selection was the headliners There will be smaller stuff like Front Mission Online, DQMonsters, Slime Mori Mori, umm... perhaps Hanjuku Hero isn't really that big and Drag-on Dragoon 2 will also be released in May. I wonder if anything will come with a demo of FFXII too... huge sales of shit game guaranteed.