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[DangerMouse]

Part of the problem and resentment with the XIII saga is that we got absolutely nothing else while that mess was going on, even though there was an FF game to talk about. There was a lot of frustration about the lack of info regarding Versus.

I think this is important. Even if they make a sequel, they need to show us that's not all they're working on, they cannot make it seem like sequels are stalling FFXVI otherwise the rage will return. Seeing XIII's sequels and XIV (an online game) stealing staff from the new games just added to the pent up frustration and annoyance.

 

[CrimsonCrescendo]

Heard some things that really sounded very Kotick-like.

Ah. Understandable.

 

[kayos90]

Heard some things that really sounded very Kotick-like.

Considering they were trying to be Activision-like this entire generation, we shouldn't surprised that the new CEO thinks like this.

 

[Verendus]

Whilst Wada wasn't exactly very competent, I think I'm going to be disappointed in a couple of years time when people credit the new CEO for things Wada put into motion before his departure. It'll be interesting to see what the new CEO is like over the coming generation. There has already been a slight taste, maybe not the most pleasant one.

Edit:

On second thought, I don't like either of them. No need to be diplomatic.

 

[Dr.Thunder]

I'm starting to feel like Stella will end up as a dueling protagonist with her own entire crew and everything.

 

[DarkLordMalik]

Any particular reason for that?

By god, if their console efforts flop, expect even less console games and ton and tons of crap and focus on iOS/Tablets -__-

It's been worked on for a good while now. I don't know what it's current status is exactly, but it bodes well that they already have a good idea of certain concepts. KH3 and FFXV are Nomura projects so they'll likely be his priority to finish and then move onto whatever is next for him. FFXVI is being handled by others.

So FF XVI is still in the conceptual stage from the looks of it. They might be also working on designing the battle system. Either way, i hope it is being made by a good team and directed by Itou and not some second rate director like Toriyama.

 

[Voror]

Heard some things that really sounded very Kotick-like.

Oh, that is worrisome indeed

And I was having a slight hope we might have something of a return to form for Square. It's still possible I suppose, but not very assured.

 

[kayos90]

Oh, that is worrisome indeed

And I was having a slight hope we might have something of a return to form for Square. It's still possible I suppose, but not very assured.

Nope. Nothing has really changed. We're just going to get better execution with the direction from Matsuda that was inherited from Wada with a few... additions in their vision.

 

[RaijinFY]

Oh, that is worrisome indeed

And I was having a slight hope we might have something of a return to form for Square. It's still possible I suppose, but not very assured.

In the end, taking a more of distant look at japanese vg industry, it seems the biggest problem are the "suits" so to speak...

 

[DangerMouse]

Considering they were trying to be Activision-like this entire generation, we shouldn't surprised that the new CEO thinks like this.

They should have realized that was the wrong way to go by now.

 

[ekka4shiki]

Toriyama needs to go away. Preferably forever. I don't want his corruptive influence anywhere near the series anymore.

Ideally yes. But we know he will still getting chance again. Just thinking what kind of situation needed to relive the quality of his past work that is Final Fantasy X.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

Ideally yes. But we know he will still getting chance again. Just thinking what kind of situation needed to relive the quality of his past work that is Final Fantasy X.

FFX wasn't even that good a game to begin with, honestly. The further he stays from the main series, the better off we all are.

 

[Kagari]

Nope. Nothing has really changed. We're just going to get better execution with the direction from Matsuda that was inherited from Wada with a few... additions in their vision.

We'll see. I have this feeling they cancelled too many projects and anything they have in the interim won't save them financially.

 

[DarkLordMalik]

We'll see. I have this feeling they cancelled too many projects and anything they have in the interim won't save them financially.

Let's not forget how Final Fantasy saved their ass back during a similar situation. Here's hoping this happens again and FF XIV and FF XV end up as resounding success.

 

[CrimsonCrescendo]

We'll see. I have this feeling they cancelled too many projects and anything they have in the interim won't save them financially.

That bad, huh?

 

[encephalon]

We'll see. I have this feeling they cancelled too many projects and anything they have in the interim won't save them financially.

Do they need "saving?"

 

[Famassu]

They have the former KH team that became the XV team
They have the current KH team that is making KH3
They have the XIV team that will be working on XIV

The only teams that could conceivably be working on XVI right now are Toriyama's team or the remnants of the XII team (which may not even exist anymore for all I know). I'd put money on XVI being Toriyama's new waifu fantasy.

They have a lot more workforce than just those three teams, especially when considering they can have and HAVE to have a lot of projects in different phases of development at one time. Do no forget the fact that FFXIV's development team is absolutely massive. They don't need that kind of team for just supporting FFXIV in the future, a smaller one can keep it going and work on expansions of different scale once the vanilla version is out.


Then there are a lot of people who used to work on handheld games but as SQEX has abandoned those, that frees up some of them. Then there's the possibility that they'll hire developers like Tri-Ace to help with their projects, like with XIII-2.


SQEX can easily have people work on FFXV, KHIII, XIV expansions and SOME level of development on at least 3-4 other big-(ish) projects (whether that's starting up new projects, early development or ones that are being worked up to full production or are already in that phase). They NEED to have that much under way because they are a big publisher and those don't survive by having one big release every 1-2 years, even if their iOS adventures prove successful. They'll need at least 2-3 big games yearly and that's excluding western games. The Japanese side needs to earn its keep no matter how successful their western collegues are.


SQEX has quite many director-level people who aren't working on anything announced atm like Ito and and people like Tabata are only co-directing so there's nothing stopping fhim from having a project of his own. He's definitely earned it.

 

[hal9001]

New info:

- With the timeframe they're considering for the release of the game, it'll be hard to wrap up the story with the first game;

Source: Latest Dengeki Playstation, via http://blog.hokanko-alt.com/archives/29791709.html

This is one of my biggest concerns. I want the whole standalone story in a single game.

 

[Rpgmonkey]

Kinda sounds like they're pushing Nomura's crew to make a holiday 2014 release (for Japan), but I'll wait and see how it goes down.

I'm kind of indifferent towards sequels for now. I really enjoyed X-2, XIII-2 was ok.

 

[Kagari]

Do they need "saving?"

Look at their current output on the Japanese side and tell me they don't.

 

[Famassu]

Look at their current output on the Japanese side and tell me they don't.

It's no secret that XIV 2.0 crippled their output and for the timebeing it has lead them to focus on key titles only, but that should be over now. I don't think it's too outrageous to believe it'll get better during the next 2-3 years as they get back on their feet and don't have massive resource hogs like XIV 2.0

 

[injurai]

Look at their current output on the Japanese side and tell me they don't.

You mean the Japanese profits. Because a ton of stuff they put out in Japan never gets localized anywhere. Seems like most of their output is there other than their biggest titles.

 

[Seven Force]

I think it's a little too early to tell anything about SE's future, at least as it stands now. Things can go really well for them, or they might make an incredibly stupid decision in the near future and go into yet another generational nosedive.

I think I'll wait to see how the recent management shift will pan out before making a guess on that.

 

[mysteriousmage09]

It's no secret that XIV 2.0 crippled their output, but that should be over now. I don't think it's too outrageous to believe it'll get better during the next 2-3 years as they get back on their feet.

That and the new consoles have incredibly straight forward architecture now so that's already a ton of time saved by not having to figure out how to make their game engines run on new console hardware. Hell, if Mark Cerny said they saved a year on dev time with Knack because of the architecture, I can only imagine just how much time is saved from making a game on the scale of FFXV. Also Nomura has stated they are making their games on PC and porting down to the consoles so it already seems they are in a better spot to start this generation then they were with the last.

 

[Jubern]

I see this was split-bumped when I was sleeping. I don't really have the reflex to create thread, sorry for burying this in the other thread in the first place (and for the attitude)!

 

[kayos90]

SE has the following up for release that's been announced and things that will most likely be announced.

FFXIV
FFXV
LRFFXIII
FFXHD
KH1.5 (US)
KH2.5
Murdered Soul Suspect
Thief 4.

Everything on that list save for the last two are the only games confirmed coming out in 2014. I'd say that for the time being, SE is pretty boned.

 

[JordanLMiller]

- With the timeframe they're considering for the release of the game, it'll be hard to wrap up the story with the first game;

And just like that my hype is killed. Just...why? So you suddenly decide there's a deadline NOW?

 

[Green Mamba]

And just like that my hype is killed. Just...why? So you suddenly decide there's a deadline NOW?

Well they kind of had to decide on a deadline at some point, presumably.

 

[kayos90]

Yall have to believe. FFXV is coming out on the 10th anniversary of Versus. BELIEVE GUYS! =P

 

[CrimsonCrescendo]

Yall have to believe. FFXV is coming out on the 10th anniversary of Versus. BELIEVE GUYS! =P

That would make it June 2016 (unless you mean the date Normura started thinking about it, making it mid 2015).

 

[injurai]

Yall have to believe. FFXV is coming out on the 10th anniversary of Versus. BELIEVE GUYS! =P

2016?

that would be pretty hilarious. I don't think I can last that long. XV for 2015 makes sense.

That would make it June 2016 (unless you mean the date Normura started thinking about it, making it mid 2015).

I bet the inception goes way back to 2004 or maybe longer. This game is a long time coming.

 

[LuuKyK]

We'll see. I have this feeling they cancelled too many projects and anything they have in the interim won't save them financially.

Last time we heard about their finances they were doing fine, no? I mean their output is far from great, but I remember duckroll (?) posting some infos that clarified they had a very safe situation regarding money. I guess that could have changed with XIV, but IIRC he posted that after the XIV fiasco.

 

[Zoe]

That's certainly curious and perhaps indicative of Stella's importance if there was any doubt. Even more interested to see who her VA is. On the other hand, I wonder how much care will be taken with the localization then...

It makes me think they went out of their normal stable of actors. It's probably not Serah like some were guessing.

 

[LuuKyK]

Stella's VA will be Maaya Sakamoto. Was there ever a doubt?

 

[kayos90]

Stella's VA will be Maaya Sakamoto. Was there ever a doubt?

This is gonna make Kagari sad but no thanks. Someone else please!

 

[PlanetSmasher]

It makes me think they went out of their normal stable of actors. It's probably not Serah like some were guessing.

I still really hope that the English version of the game casts some real actors instead of just the same basic stable of anime VAs we hear in every single game nowadays.

Bonus points if they use British actors to play the royal characters.

 

[kayos90]

I still really hope that the English version of the game casts some real actors instead of just the same basic stable of anime VAs we hear in every single game nowadays.

Bonus points if they use British actors to play the royal characters.

You mean to tell me you don't want Troy Baker for everyone? PFT

 

[injurai]

One thing I love about Pixar is how they never hire voice actors, but seek out people with the perfectly fitting natural voice to fill the roles.

 

[The Lamp]

New info:

- With the timeframe they're considering for the release of the game, it'll be hard to wrap up the story with the first game;

Haha what is this shit? 7 years in and they're blaming the timeframe of their upcoming release for the inability to wrap up the story?

 

[ULTROS!]

I though Matsuda was only an interim CEO?

I have a feeling in the coming future, it'll be Wada > Mitsuda.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

You mean to tell me you don't want Troy Baker for everyone? PFT

PFT? I don't know, Paul F. Tompkins should be in everything.

Seriously though, I'm not a fan of the exact same actors popping up in every game over and over again. I feel like a game like this, especially since it's based on Shakespeare, should probably look to hire some English actors, and definitely ones with some serious acting chops.

Troy Baker is nice and all, but he's in everything nowadays.

 

[CrimsonCrescendo]

I still really hope that the English version of the game casts some real actors instead of just the same basic stable of anime VAs we hear in every single game nowadays.

Bonus points if they use British actors to play the royal characters.

I would count Troy Baker as a "real actor" after his TLOU performance. Hell, Reno Wilson (Sazh's VA) is a "real actor" and is currently in a tv show going into it's fourth year as is Ali Hillis. Final Fantasy VII spin offs also got "real actors" as well. Steve Burton (Cloud) has been on tv for over 20 years and Rachel Leigh Cook (Tifa) has been on multiple projects.

The problem isn't the talent they are hiring, it's the scripts they are churning out. You can get the best actor/actress in the world and still get a mediocre performance with a terrible script and/or bad direction.

 

[kayos90]

I though Matsuda was only an interim CEO?

I have a feeling in the coming future, it'll be Wada > Mitsuda.

A couple of us discussed when Wada stepped down that Matsuda would most likely stick. I mean... you have some of us saying it vocally. I mean that literally.

 

[Kagari]

Stella's VA will be Maaya Sakamoto. Was there ever a doubt?

Except we heard it in the trailer, and it's not.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

I would count Troy Baker as a "real actor" after his TLOU performance. Hell, Reno Wilson (Sazh's VA) is a "real actor" and is currently in a tv show going into it's fourth year as is Ali Hillis. Final Fantasy VII spin offs also got "real actors" as well. Steve Burton (Cloud) has been on tv for over 20 years and Rachel Leigh Cook (Tifa) has been on multiple projects.

The problem isn't the talent they are hiring, it's the scripts they are churning out. You can get the best actor/actress in the world and still get a mediocre performance with a terrible script and/or bad direction.

I'm just saying, if the story is Shakespearean and the script appears to have a bit more gravitas to it than previous games (if the promotional blurbs are indicative of the translation), they should hire people with Shakespeare chops, not just anime VAs they hire because they're cheap. UK actors would also probably help with the feel of the story, since I really can't see a bunch of people speaking American English working well as royalty.

And I know Troy Baker is good, but as I said, the man is in everything. Let another voice actor get a chance to play a role. Preferably someone who isn't also in every video game, anime and cartoon under the damned sun.

 

[injurai]

I want Ewan McGregor to voice Prompto or maybe Gladiolus

 

[Zukuu]

I dare them to not include original voices. Both systems use BluRays now. Don't come with some space limitation bull shit. It's not hard to have the option in the game. >_>

 

[Famassu]

And just like that my hype is killed. Just...why? So you suddenly decide there's a deadline NOW?

SHOCKER. They have a deadline now that it's ACTUALLY been worked on close to 2 years with more than small team. Why wouldn't there be? They aren't cutting the game short, they explicitly say in another interview that they were thinking of scaling down FFXV but decided against it and wanted to do everything like they've planned so far. This just means it'll be hard for them to make everything in time for whatever release timeframe they have (Q4 2014 or early Q1 2015) , not that it's impossible or that they are just going to cut the game.

 

[ULTROS!]

A couple of us discussed when Wada stepped down that Matsuda would most likely stick. I mean... you have some of us saying it vocally. I mean that literally.

If he sticks, I heavily expect that we'll have less "diverse" output compared to this gen.

 

[Famassu]

Haha what is this shit? 7 years in and they're blaming the timeframe of their upcoming release for the inability to wrap up the story?

Bleh, don't be ignorant of the situation surrounding this game. It has hardly been actually worked on for most of that 7 years. They only started full production in mid 2011, before that it was only a small team doing some pre-development/early development unevenly some time after announcement. And last year they moved the project to next generation, which they are using to achieve some plans with the new hardware that they were going to cut from the PS3 version.

The way Nomura talks about the scale, XV seems like it's way, WAAAAAAY beyond anything they've done before. Developing that (AND moving it to next-gen) is going to take more time than your usual 6 hour super-linear Uncharted, which Naughty Dog uses two years for (and still rushed U3 out...)