Ultimate Fantasy on Xbox was as soon as however a dream, till the Xbox 360 era noticed Sq. lastly begin to present Xbox some love. Now, it seems like that spell may need run its course… have we seen the final of Ultimate Fantasy on Xbox?
Sq.’s world-famous Ultimate Fantasy JRPG sequence has gone by means of many phases. Within the early years, it was all about Nintendo, with the primary six video games launching for the NES/Famicom (I-III) and later the SNES/Tremendous Famicom (IV-VI). However with the appearance of disc-based media providing larger storage for larger worlds and higher presentation than earlier than (and at cheaper manufacturing prices than cartridges), Ultimate Fantasy VII-XII would migrate the favored sequence over to PlayStation. Probably not by design, however these cycles have lasted round a decade apiece, with the unique dropping in 1987, FFVII arriving in 1997, then with the delayed launch of Ultimate Fantasy XIII arriving just a little off-cycle in 2009… however for the primary time taking the franchise to a number of consoles from launch. Till pretty not too long ago, it appeared like FF had escaped its exclusivity, de facto or in any other case, to change into a cross-platform model not caught on one system. All this left us questioning what would possibly occur after multiplatform, nearly-good RPG Ultimate Fantasy XV as we entered the following part of the cycle.
After which Ultimate Fantasy VII Remake occurred.
At the moment, it actually seems like Sq. is taking Ultimate Fantasy again to the PlayStation camp, with exercise throughout the franchise suggesting it despite the fact that no one appears prepared to truly say as a lot. That is removed from the one purple flag for FF followers on Xbox, although, so let’s dive into among the issues that make us suspect that we would not be seeing a lot, if any, FF motion on Xbox for some time…
FFVII Remake is rarely coming to Xbox, is it?
We have spoken earlier than concerning the ongoing debacle that’s Ultimate Fantasy VII Remake on Xbox, and we’re nonetheless no nearer to getting any correct solutions than we have been when the primary a part of the remake launched completely for PS4 almost three years in the past. Initially introduced as a timed Sony unique for a minimum of 12 months, this deal was then seemingly prolonged when the trailer for the PS5 model additionally talked about a further six-month exclusivity interval. The improved remake did finally come to PC, hitting the Epic Video games Retailer as soon as the six months was up then Steam a full 12 months after hitting PS5, however nonetheless not a peep about the potential of an Xbox launch. It is unclear whether or not Sony could have paid for any additional extension to forestall it from showing on different consoles, or if Sq. merely determined {that a} port arriving now so late within the day doubtless would not make sufficient cash to be viable, particularly within the wake of FFVIIR being a headliner on PlayStation Plus and streamable on PC with the service — it is protected to say that many followers who wish to play it most likely have at this level, limiting the marketplace for one other model.
It may nonetheless be that FFVII Remake could come to Xbox sooner or later, after all. The reimagined traditional is about to be cut up throughout three releases, main some to consider that we may see the complete factor when it is all full whereas Sony places out the person components within the meantime as console exclusives — the second half, Rebirth, is already confirmed to be one other timed PS5 unique. However with every part else happening with the sequence in the meanwhile and the way it seems like each franchise and writer may be transferring away from Xbox, it is laborious to cling on to hope for one thing like that taking place, particularly when the primary a part of the remake trilogy would be the finest a part of a decade previous by the point it is all wrapped up. At this level, it is most likely safer to imagine that FFVIIR on Xbox simply is not occurring… a minimum of that means it will be a pleasant shock if it at some point does present up.
Certainly Ultimate Fantasy XIV would have occurred by now if it was going to
Hit MMO Ultimate Fantasy XIV makes financial institution for Sq., with tens of millions of gamers nonetheless loving life in and round Eorzea nearly a decade after A Realm Reborn first turned across the fortunes of the net sport following its preliminary grim 2010 launch. Chatter round FFXIV coming to Xbox has been swirling nearly that total time, though a number of causes have been urged for why a port of a sport this totally large hasn’t occurred. These have together with an absence of official cross-play assist when the sport first launched which might have divided console gamers, and the extra value of Xbox Stay on prime of the sport’s subscription payment, although Sony has already confirmed the latter to be simply circumvented just by not requiring the console on-line sub for this explicit sport, however once more, that is not one thing that was frequent within the early years of FFXIV. The MMO is arguably in a greater state than it has ever been in the present day, with ongoing work to the Major Situation Quest (MSQ) to trim the fats and make it a greater expertise for newcomers, and the later expansions and endgame content material are very good.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer acknowledged a couple of years again that talks have been ongoing with director Naoki Yoshida’s staff to deliver the MMO to Xbox, and reiterated that assertion final 12 months in one other interview suggesting that talks would possibly nonetheless be ongoing. It is by no means too late to welcome extra Warriors of Gentle/Darkness to Eorzea and with all of the enhancements which have been made to the primary story that has now wrapped after 4 enormous expansions (future expansions will start a brand new chapter), XIV is in an incredible place to supply a full epic on-line journey from day one for brand new Xbox gamers if it ever does occur. However as soon as once more, is there a hazard that the franchise seemingly pulling out of MS territory would possibly throw yet one more spanner within the works, despite the fact that crossplay is a reasonably frequent factor these days? I additionally can not help however ponder whether Microsoft may be apprehensive about stepping on the toes of its personal The Elder Scrolls On-line bringing in a critically acclaimed MMORPG with an expanded free trial which helps you to play by means of the whole lot of A Realm Reborn and the award-winning Heavensward growth as much as degree 60 without spending a dime with no restrictions on playtime. Copypasta memeing apart, FFXIV is wonderful and I would like to see it on Xbox, having put hundreds of hours into the sport throughout three generations of PlayStation consoles, however exterior of Spencer reiterating that he needs it to occur, nearly a decade into the sport’s life, there’s nonetheless nothing to report on this entrance.
Ultimate Fantasy XVI is one other ‘timed’ PlayStation unique
Trying ahead to later this 12 months, there’s one other ‘timed unique’ Ultimate Fantasy sport coming in June… however this time, it is a mainline sport. It is one factor to drop spin-offs, remasters, remakes, and no matter else on any platforms you want however after having a number of major sequence releases go multiplatform, returning to a single format future for the following chapter can not help however really feel like a press release of intent. Ultimate Fantasy XVI might be a timed PS5 unique, though sequence followers who’ve been following the FFVII Remake state of affairs doubtless know to take these phrases with a whole shaker of salt. Even Yoshi-P joked that followers ought to simply “purchase a PS5” somewhat than look forward to the brand new sport to reach on different techniques (as if shopping for a PS5 is even one thing you’ll be able to simply get up and resolve to do) so it does not sound like this spherical will go an entire lot higher than the final for FF followers on Xbox.
Granted, FF’s nature of telling self-contained tales means it could possibly go anyplace and every new sport ought to be capable to maintain up by itself deserves, because it has been capable of do for many years. However talking of many years, perhaps we might be about to see what the fourth truly seems like for FF, having bounced from Nintendo to Sony to multiformat and now, seemingly, heading again to the PlayStation scene the place the franchise actually blew up. Sony and Sq. have appeared particularly tight of late, with not solely FFVIIR however new IP Forspoken getting picked up as PS exclusives, but it surely stays to be seen what this implies for the way forward for FF… will we ever truly see FFXVI on Xbox, or is that this simply going to be Remake over again with years of awkward wording that leads nowhere? If I hadn’t already, I would be taking Yoshi-P’s recommendation to only “purchase a PS5…”
Xbox Recreation Move is right down to its final Ultimate Fantasy sport
Mainly all the mainline Ultimate Fantasy video games which have appeared on Xbox — VII, VIII, IX, X/X-2, XII, the XIII trilogy, and XV, so solely lacking MMO FFXI which closed down years in the past on 360 — have additionally discovered their means into Recreation Move in recent times, and whereas there was as soon as a strong library of FF classics among the many finest video games on Recreation Move for JRPG followers to take pleasure in within the service, we’re now right down to only one. Lightning Returns: Ultimate Fantasy XIII is the one sport within the sequence left in Recreation Move, the ultimate sport in its trilogy and a divisive single-character twist on the standard formulation. And even that most likely will not be round for lengthy, on condition that it joined final March and the earlier video games solely caught round for round 12 months, so it appears doubtless that it will solely be a matter of weeks earlier than we go from having a bunch of FF titles in Recreation Move to having exactly zero. In the meantime, look over the fence on the PlayStation Plus library and you will find that total ‘trendy’ run of the sequence (excluding the XIII trilogy, probably a results of Sony’s ongoing battle to grasp how its personal PS3 truly works), in addition to the FFVII remake. There’s nothing within the Nintendo Change On-line retro assortment both, thoughts, however in an ecosystem the place gamers appear completely high quality with shelling out for a similar classics again and again, you’ll be able to’t actually begrudge Sq. for doing the identical because the platform holder with its personal video games.
Video games come and go from Recreation Move on a regular basis, so by itself, this may not be such an enormous deal. However while you’ve obtained one of many greatest MMOs on the planet locked to Sony consoles, the multi-part remake of the franchise’s most beloved sport additionally unique to PlayStation, and the sequence’ subsequent mainline launch heading there as one other console unique, it is laborious to really feel like this is not a part of one thing larger. To not solely be lacking out on the remake of the fan-favourite FFVII on Xbox but in addition to see the unique depart Recreation Move inside weeks of the remake touchdown on PS5 was just a little galling, nonetheless coincidental. And it is not simply the previous video games that appear to be stepping out of the highlight on Xbox both — the odd low-key exception apart, there additionally appears to be minimal curiosity in bringing more moderen non-mainline releases to Xbox.
Even the spin-offs and collections are skipping Xbox
Put down the pitchforks, Stranger of Paradise stans — sure, Crew Ninja’s edgy motion prequel to the unique Ultimate Fantasy did certainly get some Xbox love final 12 months, though that in itself is bizarre. What’s the prequel to a sport that has by no means existed on Xbox doing right here when series-wide love-ins like Dissidia and Theatrhythm have not been given a look-in? The latter is particularly topical with the most recent model of the musical celebration of all issues FF, Theatrhythm Ultimate Bar Line, launching in February for Change and PS4. Given how a lot time I put into the 3DS variations, that is more likely to be certainly one of my most-played video games of the 12 months and it is truthfully a bit gutting to see this one skip Xbox, particularly after the inferior Kingdom Hearts equal made the reduce with 2020’s Melody of Reminiscence. However on the similar time, it isn’t simply that one sport, and there is a fair larger snub within the works.
I am speaking concerning the Ultimate Fantasy Pixel Remaster sequence, which incorporates enhanced variations of the primary six video games within the franchise and is about to launch on just about every part besides Xbox within the subsequent few months. The six video games are all on PC and cellular already however will arrive on (most) consoles quickly, and until I am fully underestimating the method, bringing easy 8- and 16-bit classics like these to all trendy platforms bar Xbox can not help however really feel pointed and intentional. That is the sequence’ very basis, video games which might be as vital as slices of historical past as a lot as a few of them are nonetheless genuinely wonderful, and on condition that they have been on numerous different techniques prior to now, it’s kind of loopy that Sq. would not need much more gamers to expertise or relive the early life of the franchise, particularly if the plan was to increase on the universe additional sooner or later.
Now look, I do not wish to come throughout as a prophet of doom right here, however when issues align like this, it is laborious to see a future for Ultimate Fantasy on Xbox. We’re nonetheless missing certainly one of Sq.’s most profitable ongoing video games in FFXIV, we’re set to overlook out on mainline sequence entries (FFXVI) and remakes of the most well-liked sport within the sequence (FFVII), and even the lesser video games do not appear to wish to present up round these components anymore. Certain, we obtained a remaster of a half-decent PSP sport as some sort of bizarre comfort prize late final 12 months with Disaster Core, and I’m truly wanting ahead to sampling Stranger of Paradise’s nonsense in some unspecified time in the future, however neither is known as a large enough deal to recommend that the sequence has a future on Xbox. If something, if that is all we’re getting, it is the alternative. Trying forwards, there’s at present nothing Ultimate Fantasy on the horizon for Xbox — a primary for a few years now that Stranger in Paradise’s DLC is finished — so till Sq. decides to inform us in any other case, we most likely should not count on to see Ultimate Fantasy on Xbox once more any time quickly.
What do you assume? Will Ultimate Fantasy return to Xbox sooner or later, or was the respectable run we had all we’ll get? Tell us down within the feedback!
