Post by =BGOAT=M@STA= on Mar 20, 2004 13:16:43 GMT -5
RUMOR #1: Possible bad news: Final Fantasy XII has been delayed. Possible good news: There's a new Final Fantasy coming to the GameCube.
Source: Possible bad news, from import gaming news site The Magic Box. Possible good news, from the Brits at TotalVideoGames.
The official story: Regarding the possible bad news: "No comment." --Square Enix USA representative.
Regarding the possible good news: "Square Enix USA is not aware of any Final Fantasy/GameCube revealings at E3." --the same Square Enix USA representative.
What we heard: Regarding the possible bad news, now that Square Enix is one big, happy family, the company needs to think about how to leverage its different brands throughout the year. Fans know that Square Enix's two biggest properties are the Dragon Warrior (aka Dragon Quest) and Final Fantasy series, each of which was slated to receive a new installment this year--at around the same time. But how would the kids manage their time with two gigantic, new role-playing games to worry about all at once? So, the story goes that, given that Dragon Quest VIII was further along in development than Final Fantasy XII, Square Enix figured it would pad the release dates farther apart, pushing back Final Fantasy XII until later this year if not early the next. Stranger things have happened.
As for the possible good news, TotalVideoGames reported that UK-based Nintendo Official Magazine ran a story about how a new GameCube-exclusive Final Fantasy game would be revealed at the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo in May and that the game would "thankfully" have a "closer resemblance to previous [Final Fantasy] titles." February's Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles for the GameCube enjoyed a stint at the top of the sales charts that month, and the kids all love Final Fantasy, so wouldn't another one be great? Also, given the rash of remakes on the GameCube, the most recent being Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, FF fanboys quickly started surmising that maybe this next Nintendo Final Fantasy would be a remake of one of the old favorites.
Bogus or not bogus?: Regarding the possible bad news, you could probably take the "no comment" as a long "yes." As for us, we'll say "not bogus."
Regarding the possible good news, though there's a slim possibility that Square Enix is keeping its USA division in the dark for now, we doubt it. Bogus.
Source: Possible bad news, from import gaming news site The Magic Box. Possible good news, from the Brits at TotalVideoGames.
The official story: Regarding the possible bad news: "No comment." --Square Enix USA representative.
Regarding the possible good news: "Square Enix USA is not aware of any Final Fantasy/GameCube revealings at E3." --the same Square Enix USA representative.
What we heard: Regarding the possible bad news, now that Square Enix is one big, happy family, the company needs to think about how to leverage its different brands throughout the year. Fans know that Square Enix's two biggest properties are the Dragon Warrior (aka Dragon Quest) and Final Fantasy series, each of which was slated to receive a new installment this year--at around the same time. But how would the kids manage their time with two gigantic, new role-playing games to worry about all at once? So, the story goes that, given that Dragon Quest VIII was further along in development than Final Fantasy XII, Square Enix figured it would pad the release dates farther apart, pushing back Final Fantasy XII until later this year if not early the next. Stranger things have happened.
As for the possible good news, TotalVideoGames reported that UK-based Nintendo Official Magazine ran a story about how a new GameCube-exclusive Final Fantasy game would be revealed at the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo in May and that the game would "thankfully" have a "closer resemblance to previous [Final Fantasy] titles." February's Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles for the GameCube enjoyed a stint at the top of the sales charts that month, and the kids all love Final Fantasy, so wouldn't another one be great? Also, given the rash of remakes on the GameCube, the most recent being Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, FF fanboys quickly started surmising that maybe this next Nintendo Final Fantasy would be a remake of one of the old favorites.
Bogus or not bogus?: Regarding the possible bad news, you could probably take the "no comment" as a long "yes." As for us, we'll say "not bogus."
Regarding the possible good news, though there's a slim possibility that Square Enix is keeping its USA division in the dark for now, we doubt it. Bogus.