Is that this the tip for Last Fantasy on Xbox?

Last 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 appears like that spell may need run its course… have we seen the final of Last Fantasy on Xbox?

Sq.’s world-famous Last Fantasy JRPG collection has gone by way 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 greater worlds and higher presentation than earlier than (and at cheaper manufacturing prices than cartridges), Last Fantasy VII-XII would migrate the favored collection over to PlayStation. Seemingly 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 Last Fantasy XIII arriving a bit 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 turn into a cross-platform model not caught on one system. All this left us questioning what would possibly occur after multiplatform, nearly-good RPG Last Fantasy XV as we entered the following part of the cycle.

After which Last Fantasy VII Remake occurred.

Right this moment, it definitely appears like Sq. is taking Last Fantasy again to the PlayStation camp, with exercise throughout the franchise suggesting it though no one appears keen to really say as a lot. That is removed from the one purple flag for FF followers on Xbox, although, so let’s dive into a number of the issues that make us suspect that we’d 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 Last 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 practically three years in the past. Initially introduced as a timed Sony unique for no less than 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 ultimately come to PC, hitting the Epic Video games Retailer as soon as the six months was up then Steam a full yr after hitting PS5, however nonetheless not a peep about the opportunity of an Xbox launch. It is unclear whether or not Sony could have paid for any additional extension to stop it from showing on different consoles, or if Sq. merely determined {that a} port arriving now so late within the day seemingly 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 need to play it most likely have at this level, limiting the marketplace for one other model.

It might nonetheless be that FFVII Remake could come to Xbox sooner or later, after all. The reimagined traditional is ready to be cut up throughout three releases, main some to imagine that we might see the complete factor when it is all full whereas Sony places out the person elements 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 occurring with the collection in the mean time and the way it appears like each franchise and writer may be shifting away from Xbox, it is laborious to cling on to hope for one thing like that occuring, particularly when the primary a part of the remake trilogy would be the greatest 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 taking place… no less than that approach it will be a pleasant shock if it sooner or later does present up.

Certainly Last Fantasy XIV would have occurred by now if it was going to

Hit MMO Last Fantasy XIV makes financial institution for Sq., with tens of millions of gamers nonetheless loving life in and round Eorzea virtually a decade after A Realm Reborn first turned across the fortunes of the net recreation following its preliminary grim 2010 launch. Chatter round FFXIV coming to Xbox has been swirling virtually that whole time, though a number of causes have been steered for why a port of a recreation this positively 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 Reside on high of the sport’s subscription price, although Sony has already confirmed the latter to be simply circumvented just by not requiring the console on-line sub for this specific recreation, 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 immediately, with ongoing work to the Principal 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 just a few years again that talks have been ongoing with director Naoki Yoshida’s workforce to carry the MMO to Xbox, and reiterated that assertion final yr in one other interview suggesting that talks would possibly nonetheless be ongoing. It is by no means too late to welcome extra Warriors of Mild/Darkness to Eorzea and with all of the enhancements which were made to the primary story that has now wrapped after 4 big expansions (future expansions will start a brand new chapter), XIV is in an ideal 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, though crossplay is a reasonably frequent factor these days? I additionally can not help however wonder if Microsoft may be frightened 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 way of the whole lot of A Realm Reborn and the award-winning Heavensward growth as much as stage 60 totally free with no restrictions on playtime. Copypasta memeing apart, FFXIV is wonderful and I might like to see it on Xbox, having put hundreds of hours into the sport throughout three generations of PlayStation consoles, however outdoors of Spencer reiterating that he needs it to occur, virtually a decade into the sport’s life, there’s nonetheless nothing to report on this entrance.

Last Fantasy XVI is one other ‘timed’ PlayStation unique

Wanting ahead to later this yr, there’s one other ‘timed unique’ Last Fantasy recreation coming in June… however this time, it is a mainline recreation. 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 most important collection 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. Last Fantasy XVI will probably be a timed PS5 unique, though collection followers who’ve been following the FFVII Remake scenario seemingly know to take these phrases with a whole shaker of salt. Even Yoshi-P joked that followers ought to simply “purchase a PS5” moderately than look ahead to the brand new recreation to reach on different methods (as if shopping for a PS5 is even one thing you possibly can simply get up and determine 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 may well go wherever and every new recreation ought to be capable of maintain up by itself deserves, because it has been capable of do for many years. However talking of a long time, perhaps we may very well be about to see what the fourth truly appears to be like 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, nevertheless it 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 another time with years of awkward wording that leads nowhere? If I hadn’t already, I might be taking Yoshi-P’s recommendation to simply “purchase a PS5…”

Xbox Sport Cross is all the way down to its final Last Fantasy recreation

Principally all the mainline Last 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 approach into Sport Cross lately, and whereas there was as soon as a strong library of FF classics among the many greatest video games on Sport Cross for JRPG followers to take pleasure in within the service, we’re now all the way down to only one. Lightning Returns: Last Fantasy XIII is the one recreation within the collection left in Sport Cross, the ultimate recreation in its trilogy and a divisive single-character twist on the same old method. And even that most likely will not be round for lengthy, provided that it joined final March and the earlier video games solely caught round for round 12 months, so it appears seemingly that it will solely be a matter of weeks earlier than we go from having a bunch of FF titles in Sport Cross to having exactly zero. In the meantime, look over the fence on the PlayStation Plus library and you will find that whole ‘fashionable’ run of the collection (excluding the XIII trilogy, probably a results of Sony’s ongoing wrestle 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 repeatedly, you possibly can’t actually begrudge Sq. for doing the identical because the platform holder with its personal video games.

Video games come and go from Sport Cross on a regular basis, so by itself, this may not be such an enormous deal. However while you’ve acquired one of many greatest MMOs on the earth locked to Sony consoles, the multi-part remake of the franchise’s most beloved recreation additionally unique to PlayStation, and the collection’ 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 greater. To not solely be lacking out on the remake of the fan-favourite FFVII on Xbox but in addition to see the unique depart Sport Cross inside weeks of the remake touchdown on PS5 was a bit galling, nevertheless 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, Group Ninja’s edgy motion prequel to the unique Last Fantasy did certainly get some Xbox love final yr, though that in itself is bizarre. What’s the prequel to a recreation 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 newest model of the musical celebration of all issues FF, Theatrhythm Last Bar Line, launching in February for Change and PS4. Given how a lot time I put into the 3DS variations, that is prone to be one in every of my most-played video games of the yr and it is actually a bit gutting to see this one skip Xbox, particularly after the inferior Kingdom Hearts equal made the minimize with 2020’s Melody of Reminiscence. However on the similar time, it isn’t simply that one recreation, and there is an excellent greater snub within the works.

I am speaking concerning the Last Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection, which incorporates enhanced variations of the primary six video games within the franchise and is ready 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 utterly underestimating the method, bringing easy 8- and 16-bit classics like these to all fashionable platforms bar Xbox can not help however really feel pointed and intentional. That is the collection’ very basis, video games which might be as necessary as slices of historical past as a lot as a few of them are nonetheless genuinely wonderful, and provided that they have been on numerous different methods prior to now, it is a bit loopy that Sq. would not need much more gamers to expertise or relive the childhood of the franchise, particularly if the plan was to increase on the universe additional sooner or later.

Now look, I do not need to come throughout as a prophet of doom right here, however when issues align like this, it is laborious to see a future for Last Fantasy on Xbox. We’re nonetheless missing one in every of Sq.’s most profitable ongoing video games in FFXIV, we’re set to overlook out on mainline collection entries (FFXVI) and remakes of the most well-liked recreation within the collection (FFVII), and even the lesser video games do not appear to need to present up round these elements anymore. Certain, we acquired a remaster of a half-decent PSP recreation as some type of bizarre comfort prize late final yr with Disaster Core, and I’m truly trying ahead to sampling Stranger of Paradise’s nonsense sooner or later, however neither is mostly a sufficiently big deal to recommend that the collection has a future on Xbox. If something, if that is all we’re getting, it is the other. Wanting forwards, there may be at the moment nothing Last 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 anticipate to see Last Fantasy on Xbox once more any time quickly.

What do you suppose? Will Last Fantasy return to Xbox sooner or later, or was the respectable run we had all we’ll get? Tell us down within the feedback!