The original NES Final Fantasy was released on the Famicom in Japan in December 1987, which means that this year will be a landmark 25 year anniversary for the series. Release in the west was substantially delayed, but Square Enix is starting the celebrations in Japan with an anniversary website to show off the legacy of the RPG behemoth.
The content is in Japanese, as you'd expect, but Andriasang has translated a 'Creator's Voice' section, where Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada assures fans that the series is still a big priority for the developer.
We'll take the 25th anniversary as an opportunity to begin our walk towards the next 25 years. In order to make the fans happy, we the developer have just one promise we can make. Outside of talent and ability, we will also make sure development is handled exclusively by creators who feel love of the FF series stronger than anyone else.
The Final Fantasy main series has been absent from Nintendo in recent years with a step into HD graphics, though some spin-offs have arrived instead. We'll see in time whether the big releases will arrive on Wii U or 3DS, but until then you can always check out some of the artwork and, if you can read it, content on the anniversary site.
[source finalfantasy.jp, via andriasang.com]
Comments 23
I call FF anniversary Collection for 3DS and Wii U it'll have FF1-13.2 on it
Only two games announced so far that music game and demensions for ios/android.
His quote fills me with confidence, assuming he's not just blowing hot air. While I enjoyed Final Fantasy XIII, "love" isn't something that I've felt playing Square Enix games lately (aside from The World Ends With You, which is awesome). The next Final Fantasy game needs a team of people from top to bottom who believe in the branding with all they have.
A few months ago I was able to attend the Distant Worlds: Final Fantasy concert here in Boston and it was such an emotional night for everyone in attendance. The franchise is so popular because of all the care and passion that went into the games we fell in love with. If Square Enix can get back to that mode of development and not necessarily "what will look pretty and appeal to the west" then they can definitely right this airship.
Personally, I find Final Fantasy games to be alright, but nothing too special, so this isn't that exciting for me.
FF V and VI for 3DS.
You heard it here first.
I have little faith that Final Fantasy will last another 25 years if it continues to consist of games like 13 and 13-2
Super Ultra Definitely Final This Time Fantasy Collection 123456: 3D Edition
please? i'd buy it <3
I hope this means some old school Final Fantasy fun is soon to be announced at E3 (God, Final Fantasy V & VI remake for 3DS please).
I also hope the anniversary makes Squeenix take a step back and reflect on what Final Fantasy is. It's veered so far off course, it's ridiculous. Bring back crystals, airships, castles, memorable over-the-top villains, Nobuo Uematsu, and the things that made it one of the greatest franchises in video gaming. While V is my favorite, I consider IV to be the purest interpretation of Final Fantasy. Get back to that. There's a reason fans didn't go for The Spirits Within. The series has become way too sci-fi. Of course, that's only my opinion, I could be Wong.
At least I hope any collection, game wise, is better than the Street Fighter anniversary set. All the former Capcom-turned-Crapcom put in it was their most recent games. How do you have a SF anniversary without a classic version of II, at LEAST SF Alpha 3, and the original (however bad it was, it is a piece of history)?
I sure hope we get FF V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX on the 3DS at some point
I almost forgot. What better way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original adventure, which saw the four Light Warriors battle Garland through time on the Famicom, than by announcing Final Fantasy XV will be on Wii U? The first numbered FF on a Nintendo console in like 17 years announced during 25th anniversary celebrations would be so fitting and symbolic!
@LordOtaku
I hope so too. Boy, Sony fanboys/girls would have a bleep fit at those last three on a Nintendo system!
#11 yep, but I would like to play more FF (all I have is 3 and TAY) and it would be nice to play them all on a handheld, I plan touch up 4 at some point so I can finish TAY, I could play them on my PS2 but am kinda refusing to so I can play on a system I'm used to. It would also be great to have KH 1 and 2 on 3DS
@FluttershyGuy Since this is the Japanese 25th aniversary (ours is still 3+ years away), I'd imagine we'd hear that kind of news at the Tokyo Game Show in the fall.
I wish I could read Japanese. I'm a sad panda =(
@LordOtaku I'd love to see remakes of all those games on Nintendo consoles too.
if it's as dull as the Dragon Quest one...bad news FF fans.
@Geonjaha A collection, announcement of a new main entry, two side games, and special edition consoles (not to mention the entire event lasted over 6 weeks) = a dull anniversary?
Congrats to the defining JRPG series known for its awesome yesteryears and much less awesome current years! Pop out your NES, SNES, and PS1. Celebrate this great occasion. (Sadly, I've never played any FF games at all. I plan to change that soon. I'm in a JRPG mood which will most likely take me at least 5 years to shake off. Chrono Trigger, Xenoblade, and Tales of the Abyss have made me further respect this genre and upped my wanting to start playing the best of FF.)
IF final fantasy made a main series return to a nintendo console with exclusive features, I think I might have a heart attack
@Mickeymac - They chose not to do anything 3DS related. Yes, they did quite a bit, but they could of announced/released DQM:TW or DQH:RS3 for the west, given the 3DS virtual console some love (Dragon Quest I+II, Dragon Quest III, Dragon Quest Monsters, Dragon Quest Monsters 2) or just announced a new game on it. They chose to focus on the Wii and (somewhat) the DS. There was also no Wii U announcements at all, which is dissapointing. They did alright - but I was just hoping they'd announce something for the next generation of consoles at least.
They wanted it released within a Timely manner for the fans. RPGs on new systems take forever to make. RPGs on well-established systems do not. Besides, Dragon Quest is always released late in on current gen systems in order to maximize profits, and ensure that the greatest number of people get to play them. And of course they're not gonna do anything for America. That was the Japanese 25th Anniversary. Our Anniversary is not for another 2 years. And you should know S-E by now - they'd rather remake or release games in retail form rather than put stuff on the VC, and when they do put it on the VC, it's only long after the retail versions have stopped making money for them.
Really, the Dragon Quest anniversary was great. Much better than the Super Mario Bros. and Metroid's anniversaries. I have no doubts that the Final Fantasy anniversary will be great too, and the American anniversary will likely be great, too.
I'm not sure the main Final Fantasy series can win me back at this point. If they want my money they'd quietly announce another Crystal Chronicles game. I've felt that one of the biggest strengths of that (sub)series is that its very low-profile compared to other games in the series so the developers are able to experiment quite a bit while continuously building on a single world.
hmmm, Crystal Bearers did leave off on the perfect place for a sequel. Hopefully they explore that.
@darklinkinfinite And I hope to G-d they don't...
bring me the old fantasy with modern style rpg, ill buy it square
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