Hajime Tabata
Latest
Final Fantasy XV's last DLC hurrah is out today
The story of Final Fantasy XV comes to an untimely end on Tuesday with the release of its first and final DLC, "Episode Ardyn." The game follows Ardyn Lucis Caelum, the mysterious antagonist of Final Fantasy XV, during an era before main protagonist Noctis was even born. Players will learn what first drove Ardyn to seek revenge against the Lucian throne, setting the groundwork for the entire series.
Final Fantasy 15 gameplay details, demo content revealed
New details revealed this week paint a clearer picture of what players can expect from Square Enix's RPG Final Fantasy 15 prior to its upcoming launch for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Director Hajime Tabata estimates that Final Fantasy 15 is currently around 55 percent complete, though the game changed drastically after he took over the project two years ago."This is not the exact same game," he explained in a recent interview with Kotaku. "The director is different, and the platform was switched to the current gen. And because the platform has changed, there were things we had to re-evaluate, like what we can and cannot do or even what we have to do. The various circumstances are different."
Nomura no longer directing Final Fantasy 15, new TGS trailer [update]
Square Enix announced designer Tetsuya Nomura is stepping away from Final Fantasy 15 to focus on other projects, with Final Fantasy Type-0 and Before Crisis: Final Fantasy 7 director Hajime Tabata appointed as the game's new director. In a statement released today, Square Enix CEO Yosuke Matsuda said Nomura will shift efforts to "production of titles that can only be made possibly by Nomura himself," and that includes the upcoming Kingdom Hearts 3. The news comes as Square Enix confirmed reports of the Episode Duscae demo for Final Fantasy 15, which players can access via vouchers included with copies of Final Fantasy Type-0 HD. The PS4 and Xbox One versions of the 2011 PSP game are due in North America on March 17, 2015, Japan on March 19 and Europe on March 20, with a US price-tag of $60. As for the Duscae demo, Square Enix said the it's based on the game's opening sections "but alters story progression and more to create a unique first-play experience." [Update: On the PlayStation Europe Blog, Square Enix's Daniel Seto says the demo will be available for PS4 on March 20, which suggests it'll likely also be available on the same day Type-0 releases stateside] Square Enix marked the news with a two-minute Tokyo Game Show trailer for Final Fantasy 15 featuring some of the combat, and you can check it out below the break. The trailer closes with main protagonist Noctis saying, "It's been a long time coming. Almost there." That said, the PS4 and Xbox One JRPG remains without a release window.
Final Fantasy Type-0 launching within the next year
Final Fantasy Type-0 is expected to launch within the next year, Square Enix confirmed to Joystiq during a hands-off demo of the game at PAX Prime. The HD port of the Japan-only PSP game is a "speedy, action-oriented" spin on the series' formula, featuring real-time battles with 14 playable characters, three of which were shown in the demo. "We probably wouldn't age another year until it's released," the game's director Hajime Tabata said. Type-0's move to PS4 and Xbox One was announced at E3 in June. Tabata stressed that Final Fantasy Type-0 is approaching a more mature tone in comparison to other games in the series, including magic and special abilities acting as "devastating attacks" that can cause enemies to burn to death, for example. Additionally, much of the feedback Square Enix received after launching the game in Japan revolved around its steep difficulty. To alleviate those concerns, the developer implemented four difficulty modes and tuned the combat balance so the HD port "makes sense for the big screen," Tabata explained.
Final Fantasy Agito localization will 'definitely happen'
Mobile RPG Final Fantasy Agito will be localized, Square Enix recently revealed. Speaking with USGamer at the Tokyo Game Show, Square Enix's Hajime Tabata said the game "will definitely be localized." He quickly clarified that while the game will be translated to other languages, that doesn't guarantee its release in North America. A trademark for Final Fantasy Agito was recently filed in Europe, so some hope for a full localization exists. Final Fantasy Agito will launch as a free-to-play iOS and Android game in Japan this Winter. The game is set in the world realized by Final Fantasy Type-0, a Japan-exclusive PSP game, and offers equipment obtained via microtransactions.
Final Fantasy Type-0 is new name for Final Fantasy Agito XIII
What was to be the PlayStation Portable entry in Square Enix's "Fabula Nova Crystallis" series is now considered a spin-off title with a new name: Final Fantasy Type-0. Director Hajime Tabata resolved the mysterious trademark filings at Square Enix's 1st Production Department event in Japan today, noting that the change from "Final Fantasy Agito XIII" seemed appropriate given how different the more action-oriented design of Type-0 had become from Final Fantasy XIII. Though it will now distance itself from XIII, Type-0 will continue to embrace the PSP -- in fact, when it ships in Japan this Summer, it'll come on two UMDs. According to Siliconera's translation, the doubled storage will accommodate over 30 voiced characters. Judging by earlier trailers, Final Fantasy Type-0 will also feature multiplayer battles. We'll contact Square Enix to learn more about its plans for North America. [Image credit: 4Gamer.net]
Square Enix producer thinking about Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII on 3DS
The mobile game Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII was the first part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII to be released in Japan, but never made it to North America. That would almost certainly change if the game were ported to the Nintendo 3DS, something which Square Enix's Hajime Tabata mused about on Twitter. "If I were to make something for 3DS, I suppose it would be a remake of Before Crisis Final Fantasy VII," he said (translated by Andriasang. "I'd redo the scenario structure and game design for the 3DS. I think I'd like to make an action RPG BCFF7 where a large number of Turks players play simultaneously." Sounds awesome, right? Well, it's not happening, at least not right now. Tabata lamented that he was already far too busy on The 3rd Birthday, and plans to move to an HD project afterward as a change of pace from all the portable games.
