Game developer and publisher Square Enix has finally confirmed that Final Fantasy XV (FFXV) will launch at some point by the end of this year for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
In a new post on the official Square Enix blog, FFXV game director Hajime Tabata more about the upcoming Final Fantasy installment and told fans: "We will finally release FFXV this year, in 2016! In development, previous phases required wisdom and strength. I vow to you all that every member in the team will do their best to the very last possible moment taking responsibility and pride in their craft."
Tabata said that he and the team will do everything to finish the much awaited action role-playing game and create an experience that gamers will enjoy and treasure. He also thanked fans for their support over the years. A number of fans helped in the development of Final Fantasy XV by playing the "Episode Duscae" demo, which gave Square Enix developers valuable feedback on how to apply improvements.
In 2013, the game was originally intended to run on last-generation consoles such as the PS3 and Xbox 360. Prior to that, it was unveiled during 2006's E3 event and was named "Final Fantasy Versus XIII" back then. It was later renamed Final Fantasy XV and announced for the current-gen PS4 and Xbox One.
Significant changes have since been made to the project as those years passed, including the replacement of Stella with another character named Luna. Some scenes that had already been released have also been scrapped, including the original FFXIII trailer revealed back in 2011 which depicted an attack on the city of Insomnia.
An exact release date has not been shared by Square Enix yet. The next Final Fantasy "Active Time Report" broadcast by the developer, which is expected to bring more news and details about the title will air later this month. While waiting, FFXV fans can watch the trailer below.
In more news about the popular franchise, fans of the Final Fantasy IX game may have something to look forward to this year as Square Enix also confirmed that the game will be ported over to Windows PC, Android, and iOS platforms before this year ends.
The arrival of the new FFIX version will mark the first time it will be available outside of Sony's PlayStation consoles. It was first released to the original PlayStation One in 2000 followed by a PlayStation Classic release for the PS3 in 2010. Unlike its two predecessors, FFIX takes players back to the early days of the franchise and embraces a more traditional and cartoonish fantasy universe.
Details about how the port will be spruced up for smartphones and PC has yet to surface, but the trailer below does show crisper and higher resolution versions of some of the favorite characters from the title. The developer has promised that enhancements and features like graphics update, new achievements, an auto-save feature, the high-speed mode from the Final Fantasy VII re-release, and "several game boosting features" will be incorporated into the game.
