General Gaming News.

FakeSympathy

Elite Member
Legacy
Jun 8, 2015
3,514
3,256
118
Seattle, WA
Country
US

According to journalist Imran Khan, Final Fantasy 16's pre-orders are "tracking behind" Final Fantasy 15's, even after adjusting for the fact that 16 is a PS5 exclusive. Khan continues to say that this has Square Enix "slightly panicking", suggesting that the game's promotional period has not gone as planned, even with the positive reception to early gameplay demos.
Well, look on the bright side SE; At least you didn't tease the fanbase for 10+ years this time, and you aren't overpromising/overhyping the game like some other publishers. I'm sure it'll sell like crazy post-launch
 
  • Like
Reactions: BrawlMan

CriticalGaming

Elite Member
Legacy
Dec 28, 2017
11,267
5,697
118



Well, look on the bright side SE; At least you didn't tease the fanbase for 10+ years this time, and you aren't overpromising/overhyping the game like some other publishers. I'm sure it'll sell like crazy post-launch
Pre-order culture has been destroyed by the move to digital. There is no more fear of not being able to get the game day 1 because digital copies can't sell out, so the panic of pre-ordering is not a thing anymore. On top of that the pre-order bonus is just a digital art book which basically an NFT which nobody cares about.

So it's yet another example of how the old higher ups don't understand the evolution of their own business.

also for a big release like FF16, I feel like the hype machine has been really really small. Like no commercials, no web ads, no playable demo, nothing. It's gonna come out in a couple of weeks and that'll be it. It's very strange because they advertised the SHIT out of the FF7 remake just a couple of years ago.
 

meiam

Elite Member
Dec 9, 2010
3,608
1,829
118

CriticalGaming

Elite Member
Legacy
Dec 28, 2017
11,267
5,697
118
Wonder if they're counting pre order for FF13 versus (iirc) in the 15 per order, cause if so, that's a 5+ year window.
What's interesting is that they are seeing the damage of the sins of Final Fantasy past.

FF13 was huge for being the first game on an HD system and was supposed to be mindblowning. Visually, 13 looks great, but the gameplay and story were massively upsetting to fans. Only for this to be followed up by FF14's original dogshit launch. Then followed up with a better, but still disjointed and confusing, FF15.

FF16 is like 13 in that it's the first Next-Gen Final Fantasy game. However I think a lot of people are jaded to the series thanks to the past few entries being not good. Considering the last mainline FF game to get wide-spread praise was X, it's no surprise that people are having a more wait-and-see approach to 16.

FF7 Remake doesn't count obviously because it's FF7 and not a new entry and even the Remake disappointed people so....
 
  • Like
Reactions: BrawlMan

BrawlMan

Lover of beat'em ups.
Legacy
Mar 10, 2016
29,607
12,307
118
Detroit, Michigan
Country
United States of America
Gender
Male
also for a big release like FF16, I feel like the hype machine has been really really small. Like no commercials, no web ads, no playable demo, nothing. It's gonna come out in a couple of weeks and that'll be it.
You'd think they'd be more excited and do more to promote. They shouldn't go overboard, but word of mouth can only do so much. If they're that worried about pre-orders, then they should have done more in the first place.

It's very strange because they advertised the SHIT out of the FF7 remake just a couple of years ago.
Because people came for that big Cloud dick sword. Barry's humongous guns. Tifa's DDs. Aerith's....moe...and dat ass. And Yuffie's....ninja moe...? Just Yuffie.

FF16 is like 13 in that it's the first Next-Gen Final Fantasy game. However I think a lot of people are jaded to the series thanks to the past few entries being not good. Considering the last mainline FF game to get wide-spread praise was X, it's no surprise that people are having a more wait-and-see approach to 16.
Yet FFXVI clearly has more going than FFXIII ever could. I understand people being burned out or turned off, but you got the freaking DMC5 combat designer! Square knows they can't screw this up!

FF7 Remake doesn't count obviously because it's FF7 and not a new entry and even the Remake disappointed people so....
Splitting FVIIR into three parts, with each game being charged at full AAA price does nothing to help the hardcore or casual audiences. So I am not blaming them on that.
 

BrawlMan

Lover of beat'em ups.
Legacy
Mar 10, 2016
29,607
12,307
118
Detroit, Michigan
Country
United States of America
Gender
Male
videogameschronicle.com/news/e3-killed-itself-not-competition-from-summer-game-fest-says-geoff-keighley/
 
  • Like
Reactions: FakeSympathy

CriticalGaming

Elite Member
Legacy
Dec 28, 2017
11,267
5,697
118
Tifa's DDs.
FUCK yeah they did :D :D :D!

Yet FFXVI clearly has more going than FFXIII ever could. I understand people being burned out or turned off, but you got the freaking DMC5 combat designer! Square knows they can't screw this up!
Honestly I can tell you right now, YOU might be excited because of the combat, but traditional FF fans are absolutely not. FF fans like JRPG's and the more turn-based the better, the shift to outright action has led to the worst received FF games so far. 12, 13, 15, all shit on by fans because they do not want action combat. So while the action combat is excited because you like those kinds of games, that isn't what FF fans are after.

I tell you what, this combat better be orgasmic because otherwise long time FF fans will not like the game. Yoshi-P be damned.
 

BrawlMan

Lover of beat'em ups.
Legacy
Mar 10, 2016
29,607
12,307
118
Detroit, Michigan
Country
United States of America
Gender
Male
Honestly I can tell you right now, YOU might be excited because of the combat, but traditional FF fans are absolutely not. FF fans like JRPG's and the more turn-based the better,
  1. The traditional TB FF fans are nowhere near the majority they used to be. That went away years ago.
  2. They got Bravely Default I & II, the FFVII Mobile Remake that is more traditional turn-based game with the updated graphics, and a whole bunch of indie and AA turn-based RPGs that accomplish the same thing.
the shift to outright action has led to the worst received FF games so far. 12, 13, 15, all shit on by fans because they do not want action combat
They all have shitty combat, with XV preforming like a worst version of KHII combat. Ironic, because XV has the best combat out of those three.

So while the action combat is excited because you like those kinds of games, that isn't what FF fans are after.
Yet FFVIIR sold beyond great expectations. There is plenty of action in that game! You can Tifa play like a DMC/Platinum Games character, if you know how to build her with the right materia. The Yuffie DLC got even more action heavy!

I tell you what, this combat better be orgasmic because otherwise long time FF fans will not like the game. Yoshi-P be damned.
It will be orgasmic. The most orgasmic a Japanese Action-RPG can get with Ryota Suzuki! Clive can perform a Judgement Nut Cut!


 

Gordon_4

The Big Engine
Legacy
Apr 3, 2020
6,463
5,717
118
Australia
I don't think you'd find many people who would categorize FF12's combat as being Action Combat.

"slow, idly stand around and connect hits with an enemy 20 feet away" - MMO Combat would be a better descriptor.
And some MMOs are actually better than that. Not many, but some certainly are.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BrawlMan

BrawlMan

Lover of beat'em ups.
Legacy
Mar 10, 2016
29,607
12,307
118
Detroit, Michigan
Country
United States of America
Gender
Male
 

CriticalGaming

Elite Member
Legacy
Dec 28, 2017
11,267
5,697
118
I don't think you'd find many people who would categorize FF12's combat as being Action Combat.

"slow, idly stand around and connect hits with an enemy 20 feet away" - MMO Combat would be a better descriptor.
yeah i lumped it in because it was the start of the "auto-battle" type of game. And 13 was a press x/a sim. And 15 was a hold circle game. all just kind of pfffft.
 

meiam

Elite Member
Dec 9, 2010
3,608
1,829
118
Holy shit, it's alive? Undead? Risen from torpor? Coincidentally, I was just wondering yesterday whether this was quietly cancelled.
I was sure it was, its been like 2 year or something since they said anything about it and everything we heard was bad (trouble development and underwhelming demo).

Although coming out with a "hey we're alive, but we're refunding all pre order, nothing new to show either" isn't exactly what I'd call a power move.

Hasn't there also been a couple of other vampire bloodline come in the last few year too?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dalisclock

Chimpzy

Simian Abomination
Legacy
Escapist +
Apr 3, 2020
12,907
9,365
118
I was sure it was, its been like 2 year or something since they said anything about it and everything we heard was bad (trouble development and underwhelming demo).

Although coming out with a "hey we're alive, but we're refunding all pre order, nothing new to show either" isn't exactly what I'd call a power move.
Not exactly 'nothing new', there's a couple new screenshots, all five of them. Sadly, not really feeling the hype train going, as it's not the 90s anymore.

Hasn't there also been a couple of other vampire bloodline come in the last few year too?
Yeah, Swansong and Bloodhunt. The former came and went without making any splashes, like I don't remember anyone notable talking about it. Wasn't received very well, neither by critics or players. Bloodhunt's a battle royale, so, you know, fuck that. There was also Coteries of New York a few more years back. Supposedly that's actually a solid visual novel tho.