Final Fantasy XIII Needs "10 Times the Success"

[Artemis923]

Final Fantasy XIII Needs "10 Times the Success"

Final Fantasy XIII producer Yoshinori Kitase says that there is an extraordinary amount of pressure on the game to succeed, and succeed overwhelmingly - "ten times the success" of normal games.

So, how 'bout that new Final Fantasy game? It's been a long time in the making - five years, as a matter of fact. Five years is a long time in the games industry, and for a big-budget series like Final Fantasy, five years of development isn't exactly cheap. With Squeenix stock [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/89238-Squeenix-Stock-at-Five-Year-Low] at a five-year low, there's bound to be some pressure on the FF13 dev team to hurry the hell up to get some sort of return on investment, no?

"You're right, there is an unusual sort of pressure on Final Fantasy XIII," producer Yoshinori Kitase told EDGE Magazine. "I'd say we need this game to have ten times the success of these smaller titles."

Still, despite the pressure, Kitase stated that the team wasn't looking to cut corners: "I don't think that means we've compromised in terms of the game design or creativity in any way," he continued. "Indeed, the development of the game has very much followed in the tradition of the previous titles in the series, welcoming input from the full range of development staff."

Despite that, it's hard to imagine that the Squeenix folks aren't beginning to sweat just a little bit, as the game isn't slated to be launched outside of Japan until 2010 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/88716-Final-Fantasy-XIII-Not-Due-Overseas-Until-2010]. Let's refer back to our handy little chart of Final Fantasy sales releases, shall we?

[blockquote]
Final Fantasy - 1987 (Japan), 1990 (NA)
Final Fantasy II - 1988 (Japan)
Final Fantasy III - 1990 (Japan)
Final Fantasy IV (II NA) - 1991 (Both)
Final Fantasy V - 1992 (Japan)
Final Fantasy VI (III NA) - 1994 (Both)
Final Fantasy VII - 1997 (Both)
Final Fantasy VIII - 1999 (Both)
Final Fantasy IX - 2000 (Both)
Final Fantasy X - 2001 (Both)
Final Fantasy XI - 2002 (Japan PS2/PC), 2003 (NA PC), 2004 (NA PS2), 2006 (All Xbox 360)
Final Fantasy XII - 2006 (Both)
Final Fantasy XIII - 2010...???
[/blockquote]

The (presumed) four-year gap between FF12 and FF13 will be tied for the longest in the series' history - and this time around, it won't have the multiple launches of FF11 to cushion the blow.

So, better get crackin', fellas. Maybe if you hadn't spent so much time trying to get the game to use 100% of the PS3's power [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/90608-Final-Fantasy-XIII-Will-Use-100-of-PS3s-Power]...

(Videogamer [http://kotaku.com/5201245/square-enix-ffxiii-needs-ten-times-the-success-of-smaller-titles])

Permalink

Eat my balls Square. I'd rather play FF I again than suffer through another ass heap like FF XII.

 

[Disembodied_Dave]

Of course it doesn't matter if 13 is successful since we all know they're remaking 7 and will release them both at the same time..
Ha.

 

[Tech Team FTW!]

Unless FF13 redefines the JRPG I will not buy it.
Squeenix failure would not surprise me at all.

 

[Skruff]

Try as I might, I just could not get into Final Fantasy XII and walked away from it after about 30-35 hours. I suspect it was, at least in my opinion, the unnecessarily dense plot and the lack of interest I had in the characters. Outside of Balthier, I just thought they were all rather bland.

I'm hopeful that the plot and characters in FF XIII will draw me back in as other Final Fantasy games have. If not, I think this will be a huge blow to Square-Enix, since they have so much riding on this one iteration of their FF franchise.

 

[Inverse Skies]

I'm really looking forward to this game... I have a feeling they won't screw it up. Sqaure has been hit over the head hard for a while producing some average games so hopefully XIII can see them return to form. It certainly looksgood... whether it is or not we shall have to see.

 

[benjtfell]

To be honest the time of Turn-Based games on big consoles are over and 12 year olds fighting to save a kingdom in J-RPGs has been done so many times you can't count. If you want to play Final Fantasy VIII just play through FF8-12 its just the same boring story mixed together with better graphics with no innovation.

 

[Sylocat]

Heh, Huling was right. That thing is the Battleship Yamato, obsolete before it even gets finished.

I doubt that it will be a bad game, but it's like Ray Huling's comparisson, the Yamato was a perfectly fine Battle Ship... too bad Aircraft Carriers had made such a big battle ship largely obselete.

It's worth mentioning that it took three aircraft carriers' worth of planes to sink the Yamato...

 

[Lullabye]

I cant wait for this game. I know the tendency is to not have high hopes for games anymore since more often then not they disappoint but i cant help myself. I dont know which ff13 i should get, i think maybe Versus but im not sure. I know much of the hype is because its been so lng but im seriously stoked. I mean, i doubt ff could get much worse or much better but still, it looks freakin awesome. And forgive me for liking the fact that the graphics don't suk. i know many gamers say graphics dont matter but to me they do. the better the graphics the more stuff you can make happen. I know i wouldnt have enjoyed mgs4 with sega level gra.......wait, yes i would've....well the graphics are the icing on the 13 layer cake.
12 games(more actually but whos counting?) and plenty of chances to try new things and see what works and what doesnt, so unfortunatly, i find myself hoping beyond hope that this game will put to shame all others.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

If it has limited levels crap equipment and a poorly thought out skill system I hope it sinks FF franchise... 12 is broken....13 surely has to be half fixed....

 

[scotth266]

Well, I hope this thing does well. If it is everything I've come to expect from the FF franchise, it will be.

If it has limited levels crap equipment and a poorly thought out skill system I hope it sinks FF franchise... 12 is broken....13 surely has to be half fixed....

12 was broken? Bwah?!? Elaborate please...

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

Well, I hope this thing does well. If it is everything I've come to expect from the FF franchise, it will be.

If it has limited levels crap equipment and a poorly thought out skill system I hope it sinks FF franchise... 12 is broken....13 surely has to be half fixed....

12 was broken? Bwah?!? Elaborate please...

The skill system is a total mess that was partly fixed in the intentional version, the limit breans and bland and generic they all have different visuals and practicably the same damage/effect.

The equipment is bland and highly generic and accessorizes are as bad and feel very non FF leading to stagnant and boring gameplay. The Gambit system is not to bad its only really missing presets that you can store and change gambits without having to change every gambit you have equipped.

They forgot dual wielding it would not been so hard to implement first skill is easy to get and lets you dual wield 2 of the same knife at a speed loss, the next lets you do the same small sword at a speed loss,the next lets you do knifes any mix no speed loss, the next small swords any mix no loss....something anything to spice up the gameplay some...

Level design is great could have a better loot system, story is ok not the best not the worst.

The Skill system is just a horrid mess it makes FF8 look good sometimes and hell I'd say FF8 has more uniqueness per charatcer in combat..... FF7 might be pretty generic but between customizing equipment and unique and varied limit breaks it was better, FF9 had a refined and perfected equipment and skill system even FFXs sphere grind system brought something to a otherwise bland game. FF12 is half broken....

 

[Disembodied_Dave]

Well, I hope this thing does well. If it is everything I've come to expect from the FF franchise, it will be.

If it has limited levels crap equipment and a poorly thought out skill system I hope it sinks FF franchise... 12 is broken....13 surely has to be half fixed....

12 was broken? Bwah?!? Elaborate please...

The skill system is a total mess that was partly fixed in the intentional version, the limit breans and bland and generic they all have different visuals and practicably the same damage/effect.

The equipment is bland and highly generic and accessorizes are as bad and feel very non FF leading to stagnant and boring gameplay. The Gambit system is not to bad its only really missing presets that you can store and change gambits without having to change every gambit you have equipped.

They forgot dual wielding it would not been so hard to implement first skill is easy to get and lets you dual wield 2 of the same knife at a speed loss, the next lets you do the same small sword at a speed loss,the next lets you do knifes any mix no speed loss, the next small swords any mix no loss....something anything to spice up the gameplay some...

Level design is great could have a better loot system, story is ok not the best not the worst.

The Skill system is just a horrid mess it makes FF8 look good sometimes and hell I'd say FF8 has more uniqueness per charatcer in combat..... FF7 might be pretty generic but between customizing equipment and unique and varied limit breaks it was better, FF9 had a refined and perfected equipment and skill system even FFXs sphere grind system brought something to a otherwise bland game. FF12 is half broken....

Considering that in pretty much every FF game you can make your characters so strong that you can defeat the final bosses in one hit (especially in 10) they're all pretty broken.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

Well, I hope this thing does well. If it is everything I've come to expect from the FF franchise, it will be.

If it has limited levels crap equipment and a poorly thought out skill system I hope it sinks FF franchise... 12 is broken....13 surely has to be half fixed....

12 was broken? Bwah?!? Elaborate please...

The skill system is a total mess that was partly fixed in the intentional version, the limit breans and bland and generic they all have different visuals and practicably the same damage/effect.

The equipment is bland and highly generic and accessorizes are as bad and feel very non FF leading to stagnant and boring gameplay. The Gambit system is not to bad its only really missing presets that you can store and change gambits without having to change every gambit you have equipped.

They forgot dual wielding it would not been so hard to implement first skill is easy to get and lets you dual wield 2 of the same knife at a speed loss, the next lets you do the same small sword at a speed loss,the next lets you do knifes any mix no speed loss, the next small swords any mix no loss....something anything to spice up the gameplay some...

Level design is great could have a better loot system, story is ok not the best not the worst.

The Skill system is just a horrid mess it makes FF8 look good sometimes and hell I'd say FF8 has more uniqueness per charatcer in combat..... FF7 might be pretty generic but between customizing equipment and unique and varied limit breaks it was better, FF9 had a refined and perfected equipment and skill system even FFXs sphere grind system brought something to a otherwise bland game. FF12 is half broken....

Considering that in pretty much every FF game you can make your characters so strong that you can defeat the final bosses in one hit (especially in 10) they're all pretty broken.

Sure it you power grind, I don't grind and enjoy the fun being had with the non MMO style balancing....

 

[Disembodied_Dave]

Well, I hope this thing does well. If it is everything I've come to expect from the FF franchise, it will be.

If it has limited levels crap equipment and a poorly thought out skill system I hope it sinks FF franchise... 12 is broken....13 surely has to be half fixed....

12 was broken? Bwah?!? Elaborate please...

The skill system is a total mess that was partly fixed in the intentional version, the limit breans and bland and generic they all have different visuals and practicably the same damage/effect.

The equipment is bland and highly generic and accessorizes are as bad and feel very non FF leading to stagnant and boring gameplay. The Gambit system is not to bad its only really missing presets that you can store and change gambits without having to change every gambit you have equipped.

They forgot dual wielding it would not been so hard to implement first skill is easy to get and lets you dual wield 2 of the same knife at a speed loss, the next lets you do the same small sword at a speed loss,the next lets you do knifes any mix no speed loss, the next small swords any mix no loss....something anything to spice up the gameplay some...

Level design is great could have a better loot system, story is ok not the best not the worst.

The Skill system is just a horrid mess it makes FF8 look good sometimes and hell I'd say FF8 has more uniqueness per charatcer in combat..... FF7 might be pretty generic but between customizing equipment and unique and varied limit breaks it was better, FF9 had a refined and perfected equipment and skill system even FFXs sphere grind system brought something to a otherwise bland game. FF12 is half broken....

Considering that in pretty much every FF game you can make your characters so strong that you can defeat the final bosses in one hit (especially in 10) they're all pretty broken.

Sure it you power grind, I don't grind and enjoy the fun being had with the non MMO style balancing....

Then you're choosing to make the game more challenging. That's not something you should have to do in a game.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

Well, I hope this thing does well. If it is everything I've come to expect from the FF franchise, it will be.

If it has limited levels crap equipment and a poorly thought out skill system I hope it sinks FF franchise... 12 is broken....13 surely has to be half fixed....

12 was broken? Bwah?!? Elaborate please...

The skill system is a total mess that was partly fixed in the intentional version, the limit breans and bland and generic they all have different visuals and practicably the same damage/effect.

The equipment is bland and highly generic and accessorizes are as bad and feel very non FF leading to stagnant and boring gameplay. The Gambit system is not to bad its only really missing presets that you can store and change gambits without having to change every gambit you have equipped.

They forgot dual wielding it would not been so hard to implement first skill is easy to get and lets you dual wield 2 of the same knife at a speed loss, the next lets you do the same small sword at a speed loss,the next lets you do knifes any mix no speed loss, the next small swords any mix no loss....something anything to spice up the gameplay some...

Level design is great could have a better loot system, story is ok not the best not the worst.

The Skill system is just a horrid mess it makes FF8 look good sometimes and hell I'd say FF8 has more uniqueness per charatcer in combat..... FF7 might be pretty generic but between customizing equipment and unique and varied limit breaks it was better, FF9 had a refined and perfected equipment and skill system even FFXs sphere grind system brought something to a otherwise bland game. FF12 is half broken....

Considering that in pretty much every FF game you can make your characters so strong that you can defeat the final bosses in one hit (especially in 10) they're all pretty broken.

Sure it you power grind, I don't grind and enjoy the fun being had with the non MMO style balancing....

Then you're choosing to make the game more challenging. That's not something you should have to do in a game.

You mean go out of your way to grind for half your play sessions?
The problem is if you try and balance every little thing the game becomes draggy,bland and dreary and simply unfun to play...unless of coarse you like to grind....

 

[Disembodied_Dave]

Well, I hope this thing does well. If it is everything I've come to expect from the FF franchise, it will be.

If it has limited levels crap equipment and a poorly thought out skill system I hope it sinks FF franchise... 12 is broken....13 surely has to be half fixed....

12 was broken? Bwah?!? Elaborate please...

The skill system is a total mess that was partly fixed in the intentional version, the limit breans and bland and generic they all have different visuals and practicably the same damage/effect.

The equipment is bland and highly generic and accessorizes are as bad and feel very non FF leading to stagnant and boring gameplay. The Gambit system is not to bad its only really missing presets that you can store and change gambits without having to change every gambit you have equipped.

They forgot dual wielding it would not been so hard to implement first skill is easy to get and lets you dual wield 2 of the same knife at a speed loss, the next lets you do the same small sword at a speed loss,the next lets you do knifes any mix no speed loss, the next small swords any mix no loss....something anything to spice up the gameplay some...

Level design is great could have a better loot system, story is ok not the best not the worst.

The Skill system is just a horrid mess it makes FF8 look good sometimes and hell I'd say FF8 has more uniqueness per charatcer in combat..... FF7 might be pretty generic but between customizing equipment and unique and varied limit breaks it was better, FF9 had a refined and perfected equipment and skill system even FFXs sphere grind system brought something to a otherwise bland game. FF12 is half broken....

Considering that in pretty much every FF game you can make your characters so strong that you can defeat the final bosses in one hit (especially in 10) they're all pretty broken.

Sure it you power grind, I don't grind and enjoy the fun being had with the non MMO style balancing....

Then you're choosing to make the game more challenging. That's not something you should have to do in a game.

You mean go out of your way to grind for half your play sessions?
The problem is if you try and balance every little thing the game becomes draggy,bland and dreary and simply unfun to play...unless of coarse you like to grind....

Enemy hunting is moot. If the game allows you to make the characters so over powered that there is no challenge then the game is broken.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

Well, I hope this thing does well. If it is everything I've come to expect from the FF franchise, it will be.

If it has limited levels crap equipment and a poorly thought out skill system I hope it sinks FF franchise... 12 is broken....13 surely has to be half fixed....

12 was broken? Bwah?!? Elaborate please...

The skill system is a total mess that was partly fixed in the intentional version, the limit breans and bland and generic they all have different visuals and practicably the same damage/effect.

The equipment is bland and highly generic and accessorizes are as bad and feel very non FF leading to stagnant and boring gameplay. The Gambit system is not to bad its only really missing presets that you can store and change gambits without having to change every gambit you have equipped.

They forgot dual wielding it would not been so hard to implement first skill is easy to get and lets you dual wield 2 of the same knife at a speed loss, the next lets you do the same small sword at a speed loss,the next lets you do knifes any mix no speed loss, the next small swords any mix no loss....something anything to spice up the gameplay some...

Level design is great could have a better loot system, story is ok not the best not the worst.

The Skill system is just a horrid mess it makes FF8 look good sometimes and hell I'd say FF8 has more uniqueness per charatcer in combat..... FF7 might be pretty generic but between customizing equipment and unique and varied limit breaks it was better, FF9 had a refined and perfected equipment and skill system even FFXs sphere grind system brought something to a otherwise bland game. FF12 is half broken....

Considering that in pretty much every FF game you can make your characters so strong that you can defeat the final bosses in one hit (especially in 10) they're all pretty broken.

Sure it you power grind, I don't grind and enjoy the fun being had with the non MMO style balancing....

Then you're choosing to make the game more challenging. That's not something you should have to do in a game.

You mean go out of your way to grind for half your play sessions?
The problem is if you try and balance every little thing the game becomes draggy,bland and dreary and simply unfun to play...unless of coarse you like to grind....

Enemy hunting is moot. If the game allows you to make the characters so over powered that there is no challenge then the game is broken.

So it dose not matter if you have to spend days power grinding?

I am more finite with the term broken as bad and or poor way to handle skills, at least in pertaining to FF12.

 

[Arkhangelsk]

This game is probably going to have a big success, even if it isn't one of the best, cause
1. There are many, many, many fanboys, and
2. The game is so hyped up that everyone will expect it to be good or at least be interested enough to try it to see what took them so long. Although this mostly just calls for an opening success, whether it will continue to be a money fountain depends on whether the game is really good or not.

I'm however a little skeptic about this game, since XI and XII where quite bad for a FF game. X was one of the best (if not THE best, competing with VII and V) but I guess the games turned out a little bad cause they were experimental. FFXI was a MMORPG which was just horrible. It wasn't bad for a MMORPG, but it was bad for a FF game. Shame on you, SquareEnix, don't ever do that again! What I didn't like about FFXII was the combat system and the child(ish) characters. Vaan and Penelo were really annoying and looked like twelve year olds (if they weren't). The ones I liked were Balthier (especially, he was awesome), Ashe, and Basch. The story was also a bit complex with all the politic situations, the increasing numbers of characters who you must remember, and the different factions. It's easy if you followed from the beginning, but forget one detail and you're lost.