SE wants to release a Final Fantasy every year or two

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 21 November, 2011

To follow COD, Assassin's Creed, Battlefield model.

Square Enix wants to launch a new Final Fantasy once every year or two.

This, Final Fantasy producer Yoshinori Kitase told GameReactor, will keep fans interested in the role-playing game series.

"[For] the current generation console[s], Final Fantasy XIII was obviously the first game, and personally I think we took a little too long getting it out," he said.

"When you think of Western AAA titles like Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Assassin's Creed, they seem to work with a lot shorter turnaround - they make a new game in one to two years. That is something we need to follow up, because that seems to be the best way to keep our fans interested and attracted to the franchise."

Final Fantasy 13, which launched in Europe in March 2010, was the first in the series for the current generation of consoles. Final Fantasy 12 launched on PlayStation 2 in Europe on 23rd February 2007.

Kitase admitted Square Enix "learnt a lesson" from the game's long development, and is happier with Final Fantasy XIII-2, which launches early next year after 18 months of development.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (58) Latest comment 3 months ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Erinan #1 3 months ago

    Just make good games, it's enough (e.g. Skyrim). I'm a tad sad to see FF being run into the ground :(

  • MatMan562 #2 3 months ago

    Whatever happened to 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder'?

  • SheffAl #3 3 months ago

    Less is more.

  • gribb #4 3 months ago

    SE Exec 1: "Right folks, how do we stop FF stagnating?"
    SE Exec 2: "Well, we could take our time and make really good all new entries in the series...?"
    SE Exec 1: "Nope that won't work...I know let's do one every year, so that people will always know another one is on the way. That'll work right?"
    SE Exec 2: "Maybe, we need to make that money back on FF XIII after all."

  • Springchicken #5 3 months ago

    I'm pretty sure the reason people like Call of Duty, Battlefield and Assassin's Creed is other than because there's a new one so often.

    I mean, I'm not clear on what reason people like Call of Duty, but I'm sure that's not it.

  • roquey Verified Lead Quality Assurance Tester and Compliance Specialist, Universally Speaking #6 3 months ago

    FFs do not take just two years to make. the likes of BF and Cod coming out so often is because alot of the stuff is inplace. there alot more textures, game play etc etc to throw into a FF. But now ts all about money rather than the product. Except for duke. that was about crap.

  • TheN7Spectre #7 3 months ago

    If this new approach means Final Fantasy Versus XIII will release within our lifetimes, I'm all for it.
    Edited by 1 at 21/11/11 @ 09:39

  • funkateer #8 3 months ago

    I'm not sure if this is a good idea. You see with a single-player game like AC that things begin to get stale with these yearly releases. One year is just not enough time to evaluate the last release and improve upon the last game to keep it fresh.

    COD is another story, that's a popular multi-player phenomenon, it's a like an online sport. You don't need fresh experiences and new gaming mechanics so much; you just need a slightly improved game and some more maps.

  • GamesConnoisseur #9 3 months ago

    If for a longer development time, with FFXIII, FFXIV SE couldn't provide the games to our critical acclaim, then what can we expect with much shorter development period to provide for a yearly releases?!

    /shudders

  • A_Nonny #10 3 months ago

    Every two years is pretty much what they've been doing anyway.

  • JohnnyIsTruant #11 3 months ago

    Oh hell no!

  • RevanNL #12 3 months ago

    Is SE aware of a game called Skyrim? It's making a fuckton of money while it had five years of development time (and the game still felt rushed).

  • Makeem95 #13 3 months ago

    FF13 took too long?
    Well what the fuck happened to FF13 Versus?!? That's taking ludicrously long!

  • Reaver_v1 #14 3 months ago

    This really makes me sad. Final Fantasy was one of the finest series of games ever. Now it's being watered down by awful attempts to make money.

  • bad09 #15 3 months ago

    I thought they did that already :)

    I'm not really into FF but it's sad to see another publisher turn to this culture of shovelling out the same game every year instead of doing something worthwhile, sign of the hobby killing times we are in I suppose they all seem intent in running gaming into the ground for a quick buck.

    It's been coming out every year for yonks to the point even as a COD fan I have very little interest in the series. BLOPS got purhased because of the promise of mods (ha!) and this years COD I feel absolute nothing towards, no hate no excitement just nothing and it's being ignored.

    I've been boycotting AC since the still present crud DRM in AC2 (although someone has bought me 2 as a gift last week, not my money but Grrrr!) and even I'm bored of the franchise now! :)

    If the future is all FIFA style updates from all these big publishers with the same games every bloody year I'm out, I'm already spending less so only offering the same games every year means even more money for me to spend in another industry.

    So sad how this industry is sinking like the titantic, even sadder they are making boatloads of money while sinking it.

  • fongy #16 3 months ago

    Look at the recent scores for the latest Assassin's - lack of innovation, same old, same old... a 1/2 year cycle simply isn't enough to give real innovation...
    And who wants to play the iterations of the same game year after year?

    It's a sure way to kill a franchise...

    Imagine playing the equivalent of Oblivion every year? Skyrim is excellent, but it's still pretty similar to Obv - the several year break means it feels fresh(ish) again... Sinking 30/40+ hours every year in a similar looking / feeling game? No thanks....

    Come on developers / gamers / reviewers - take a stand...

    We don't need / want the same game rehashed every year.. with slight improvements year up year...

    We want INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY!

  • mr_pink #17 3 months ago

    It's been said before, but I think they should at least stop calling it 'Final' Fantasy.

  • silversun #18 3 months ago

    This is good news for final fantasy fan's mainly because the year the Final Fantasy Fabula Nova Crystallis was announced was around about 2006 and out of the game's only one came out; another only in japan with changed title and the 3rd still being made.
    I only see this as good news.
    Also the Fabula Nova Crystallis logo is really cool; It's a shame it wont be used to much more now.

  • God_Octo #19 3 months ago

    Haha! I can't see that ever being possible with SE. As others have said, Versus apparently hasn't even entered full production yet, and its been like 6 years.

    Unless this is linked to the purchase of the Unreal engine, then we're pretty much guaranteed a FF-lite every year.

  • Kew1Melon #20 3 months ago

    I dont mind, when iv completed the last one it gives me something to look forward to. Instead of waiting ages for the next installment :) just my thoughts.

  • OrangesJoel #21 3 months ago

    Did I just read someone suggesting that AAA RPG developers should base their budgets and scheduling on AAA shooter development?

    No, no I can't have read that. Because that would be profoundly retarded.

  • arcam #22 3 months ago

    @EddieMink

    He just said it has no real innovation. Do you disagree with that?

  • Machetazo #23 3 months ago

    It's a shame they can't do more like Activision with CoD IF they were to follow such a plan. Run a team rotation leading development and direction and establish a pool of devs that can assist as/when. Except, to do so would surely involve/distract S-E's western teams from their individual titles, so it's little doubt a poor idea.

    Why FF every year or two? There are other series, like Chrono, like Mana, for them Kingdom Hearts. Final Fantasy just doesn't seem right as a piecemeal, iterative thing. These games can tell a story, and they tell stories, present situations and characters that last sometimes for, even beyond the generation. They are events, I would be disappointed if they became what S-E are suggesting.

    Make ONE, and make it count. Or else, admit the well's run dry and try something else.
    Edited by 2 at 21/11/11 @ 11:09

  • nuanimal #24 3 months ago

    Hurray! It's the new Fi(nal)Fa(ntasy).

  • layleeloo #25 3 months ago

    BAD IDEA. It's easy to churn FPS' out year on year as they have sod all story so you only have to come up with new set design. Story based games need a lot more time spent if the story is going to be half decent

  • SuperFLI #26 3 months ago

    @EddieMink actually i think you missed the point there. in truth revelations is not that deep in innovation. reviews while loving the game made one caveat. if you've done it all before, then its not anything you aren't familiar with, with the exception of some additions. the main thing though is that if you aren't following the series by now, or don't find it compelling, then this game is still not for you. AC can get away with it though becos it has a long running story stretching back to the original came that ties all the games together. final fantasy does not have that.

  • Hindle #27 3 months ago

    FF isn't the type of franchise that can do this. Each game has different characters, world etc.

  • SuperFLI #28 3 months ago

    in my opinion the guy is confusing earnings with genre. CoD can get away with it becos its a multiplayer game that gets its fanbase by making adjustments to their multiplayer formula while not really changing or adding much to the game on a yearly basis. FF is a single player experience that traditionally creates deep and vibrant worlds with a rich story being traveled through and explored by an interesting cast of characters. and each game is independent of the last one. so unless they plan to tie in 4 or 5 FF games together with a story stretching across all of them (like AC) there is really no way to get this to work and expect it to be well received. currently they have yet to make a FF game that hits the spot since probably FF9. 10 was ok, but a bit broken with a reviled ending. 11 was not really a traditional game, 12 tried something different to create a better game style but its story suffered, 13 did the same but attempted to do a traditional storyline, and suffered for it too. and we all know about 14 already.

  • Fox89 #29 3 months ago

    I don't know how Kitase expects to pull this off. A big RPG like a Final Fantasy game takes a few years to make due to the sheer amount of content. We're not going to see Elder Scrolls VI in 2012, or 2013 for that matter.

    Unless, of course, we see more and more spin-offs and sequels. It'll be much easier to make XV-2 than it will be to create an entirely new universe for XVI (I hope you've been revising your Roman numerals!).

    @fongy XII and XIII 'innovated', and they were heavily criticized for the decisions they made in those designs. Final Fantasy is not a series that needs to innovate, it's one that needs to remind itself what made it great in the first place and go back to that.
    Edited by 1 at 21/11/11 @ 12:04

  • spekkeh #30 3 months ago

    I was going to be cynical about this, as it would never work for RPGs, and in a way I still am, but I'm thinking it might be a good idea from a business standpoint.

    Even though games like FIFA, CoD and AC are incredibly stale, they still sell fucktons. They've become such strong brands that for your average joe they define the genre, so newcomers will buy that game as everyone says that it's a classic in the genre.

    Likewise, with their annual releases they simply swamp out the rest. Real CoD fanatics only buy CoD games. Final Fantasy fans will always buy FF games, no matter how derivatively teen angsty melodramatic they've become, and if they are released every one or two years, they'll hardly buy other large RPGs. Why would you invest all that time and money on something that you may or may not like, when the next FF is due to arrive in a couple of months, and you're going to play that for a long time anyway. It's a way to keep people connected to your brand.

    I don't even think more than half of the people buying CoD really play the multiplayer that much, it's just that if you want an FPS game, you buy CoD, everybody does, it must be good innit.
    Edited by 2 at 21/11/11 @ 12:13

  • Bigglesworth #31 3 months ago

    One way to make this work would be to fully embrace the idea of sequels. It's obvious why X-2 and XIII-2 had reletively short development times: they made use of the existing worldbuilding, design and assets of their parent games.

    In hindsight, it seems ridiculous that 5-6 years of design and development are effectively thrown away each time a main-series game is released. But it makes perfect sense to put in that work on the understanding that you'll go on to produce a number of sequels. Once this model is in place, the sequels could be offloaded to a smaller team or even outsourced while the main team began design on the next main title.

  • darm #32 3 months ago

    Assassin's Creed is made by something like thousands of people, that's really expensive and, as most people know, putting twice more people doesn't guarantee getting the job done in twice less time, nor does putting 5x people, increasing the number of workers reaches saturation at some point. So AC must be a really risky project for Ubisfot, and it's a miracle they've so far managed to release 4 excellent games with 2 years development time for the 1st sequel and other two being yearly. And even with them being awesome games, there are hundreds of people bitching 'stop releasing them every year damn it!' - hopefully Ubisoft understands this comes from the people who wouldn't have bought it anyway.

    Apart from AC and sports titles(which are more like massive iterative updates), are there any games which really follow annual schedule? CoD is actually 2 parallel series developed by 2 studios, each one releasing one game in 2 years, so that doesn't count.

    But hey, couldn't SE be meeaning exactly this? Release a JRPG from some major IP of theirs every year or so? Bethesda already does that - in 5 years since Oblivion we had 4 open-world RPGs of theirs, 2 being elder scrolls and 2 Fallout.

  • Jorendo #33 3 months ago

    I'm confused. They want to release a FF game every 2 years? Didn't they already re-re-re-release a FF game every month?

  • captainCandy #34 3 months ago

    I don't play FF games any more. Been there, rescued the princess / killed the end boss.

  • WeakOrbit #35 3 months ago

    You can't really compare Final Fantasy to Skyrim though. Skyrim is pretty much a sandbox RPG where you can ignore the main quest and spend the entire game lollygagging around at your leisure choosing to do the main story at your leisure.
    The Final Fantasy games give the illusion of Open worlds yet constantly drive you toward the plot i.e needing a vehicle to get to a next area et cetra and forward the plot with little to no add on quests bar monster hunting or item collecting.
    Final Fantasy 13's biggest mistake ( bar some terrible characters "Mom's are tough" Yet not tough enough to survive a fall off a cliff Waaaah! ) was taking away the Illusion of an open world by making a lengthy soap with random battle interludes.

    Down the line rather than release a sequel Bethesda can release substantial DLC to keep peoples interest in Skyrim rather than try and rush out another one. Due to DLC being relatively, well not used in Japan a sequel is the main way to keep their demographic interested in the brand.

    As for innovation each game tried something different with each release from materia, Guardian Forces, Weapon Skills and then back to a class system for 10 (which if I am correct is being remade as a Vita/PS3 hd re-release). However each release has slowly gotten more linear so i'd rather have a great story driven game, a useable battle system and the option to explore the game world than FFXIII's linear quest that played out like a episode of home and away that was written by a crack addled martian atheist.

  • sfp_noodle #36 3 months ago

    It took SE forever to make FF13 and that was an absolute disaster. What makes them think they can release an FF game every year? It's not as a simple as making a 6 hour campaign with a rehashed online mode like in COD. FF is all about the single player experience. I doubt they can come up with 100+ hour of QUALITY gameplay every single year.

    FF13 might have made a fortune in terms of sales, but that came mainly from brand loyalty rather than the qualiy of the game. Didn't finish FF13 so won't be picking up the sequel. Right now SE are a shadow of their former selves. They were my favourite devs during the PS1 era, their golden age so to speak. They're output has been atrocious since 2006.
    Edited by 1 at 21/11/11 @ 13:16

  • Slipstream #37 3 months ago

    Final Fantasy isn't CoD or Assassin's Creed.

    Time has already began to take its toll on both games, both of their latest entries are good but ultimately more of the same.

    The FF series is known for its 'EXTREME MAKEOVER'...sorry...with each instalment, new characters, universe, gameplay and overall aesthetics. Qualities that simply cannot be cast within a year, not to a satisfactoy standard.

    Finally let's not forget how staff will be affected by this, if Square think they can drive their manpower to such extremes on a yearly basis it wont be long before we get another EA type scandal on our hands.

  • zegerman1942 #38 3 months ago

    That is something we need to follow up, because that seems to be the best way to keep our fans interested and attracted to the franchise.
    Most have been something lost in translation.

    Surely that was meant to be translated as "That is something we need to follow up, because that seems to be the best way to milk money from the fans of the franchise."

  • Chibi-Kibou #39 3 months ago

    They say, whilst trying desperately to remedy the results of not giving Final Fantasy XIV the extra year or two would have made it good at launch >.>

  • kupocake #40 3 months ago

    All this will really mean is that they start numbering the shitty spin-offs we get five of every year anyway.

  • Cappy #41 3 months ago

    I wonder if there is any link between this new direction and the recent news of Square Enix licensing Unreal 3 from Epic Japan for multiple upcoming projects.

    Pretty disappointing news if you're a PS3 owner and don't like tearing or dislike below average graphics and frame rate.

  • 32768Colours #42 3 months ago

    ...and so, the death of our once beloved hobby continues apace...

    :(

  • KanePaws #43 3 months ago

    Good idea, SE: put even less effort into your product and you're sure to meet even greater success!

    In before, "Nah, I'll pass on FFXIII-4, FFXV-2 comes out in a few months."

  • Smoped #44 3 months ago

    I think you people complaining that it takes longer than one or two years to make a good rpg are overlooking one thing. Namely, that FFXV will be an action rpg. And all signs point towards FFXVI making the full transition to FPS.
    Of course I am only kidding, Square would never do that. Or would they?

  • Kendalf #45 3 months ago

    @Slipstream (and many others)
    Yep, there is far too much content in original, numbered FFs to get them out on an annual basis. The yearly CoDs, ACs, FIFAs etc etc are only possible due to the extensive re-use of existing assets and game mechanics.

    @Bigglesworth
    Which means your point about sequels (eg X-2, XIII-2) being the only way to manage anything like a yearly output is absolutely spot on.

    What worries me, though, is that yet again we have evidence of Square Enix looking in exactly the wrong places for ideas on how to reinvigorate their flagship series. The tightly scripted, rollercoaster, linear thrills of CoD were widely trumpeted as an inspiration for FFXIII's design...and look where that got us.

    Why don't they start lauding the maturity, design, ambition and turn-around of Mass Effect, Deus Ex, Witcher, Fallout, Dark / Demon Souls etc instead? Because that is where their real competition lies...

  • Bigglesworth #46 3 months ago

    @Cappy
    Kitase mentioned in the full interview that he doesn't think it likely that the Unreal engine will power Final Fantasy titles.

  • DBLue #47 3 months ago

    Square WAS capable of releasing high-quality games at a steady pace. In the PS1 era, for example, we saw three numbered Final Fantasy titles released in four years, the last one (IX) being produced by a different team while Kitase started working on FFX for PS2. And they were all pretty good.

    The current Square though, have absolutely no clue how to manage their development teams with any degree of efficiency. Projects are announced too early, personel is constantly shifted to different teams, producers lead two or more projects at the same time and development of certain games are put on hold whenever priorities change.

    Hell, they took four years to develop Final Fantasy XIII, and that game was a disjointed, incoherent mess.

  • LEONOFDEATH #48 3 months ago

    "That is something we need to follow up, because that seems to be the best way to keep our fans interested and attracted to the franchise."

    NO NO NO NO F*****G NO!

    I am still REALLY looking forward to FFvsXIII. I havent lost interest in the series at all. I just didnt play XIII because I didnt like it, Just like I didnt like 8 and 12.

    Fans will only lose interest because they didnt like the game!




    I hate this feeling of desperation the Japanese game industry seems to have in the past year or two.

    They are looking at how its done over here, And taking the bad ideas, Not really understanding it.
    I dont think taking another cultures ideas and work ethics is going to do any good.

  • FortysixterUK #49 3 months ago

    Im all for this as long as they have perhaps 2 development teams working on the games, so essentially once the first one hits, the next one would have had 2-4 years of development go into it prior to its release.

  • Antaios #50 3 months ago

    Make a Final Fantasy once every ten years for all I care, just be sure to make it damn good. The series (for me) grew stale after IX and every iteration has been progressively worse. No need to do that on a more regular basis.

  • bdc #51 3 months ago

    welp

  • Zackv4861 #52 3 months ago

    I'd love a Final Fantasy game every year providing they're working on more than two games at once each with at least 2/3 year development cycles with different teams working on each. Seperate the type of games from the mainstream to say Crystal Chronicals and tactics game and Bobs your uncle i'll be a happy man all year round. However if SE want to hash out an RPG like Activision do COD's the noway. Rpg's need love, tenderness innovation and a good storyline and these things take TIME.

  • Torkin #53 3 months ago

    - News about FFXV possibly being an action-RPG.
    - Every time they talk they state their intent to make games for a western audience.
    - FF every year.
    - The list goes on and on...

    Clearly Square Enix don't have a clue about what their fans want.

    How can they be so blind?
    Edited by 2 at 21/11/11 @ 19:25

  • AmethystSword #54 3 months ago

    I guess if they do a "main" (XV, XVI, etc) one every three years and then a "main sequel" (ala XV-2, XV-3, etc) every year after a main I guess it could work...

    A new -new- FF every year/two...mmm no thanks?

  • Collymilad #55 3 months ago

    To be fair VII/VIII/IX/X were almost yearly and they turned out brilliant/decent.

    Anyone else think Square went kinda shite after they became SE?

    :p
    Edited by 3 at 22/11/11 @ 01:36

  • TheDarkFurie #56 3 months ago

    Absolutely ridiculous. Square have a load of great franchises and should be concentrating on getting a regular release schedule on those games so that each has a long enough development time to be more than an annual iteration yet they always have something coming out. Pushing one franchise to become yearly will do nothing but damage the company image amongst gamers.

  • Climhazzard #57 3 months ago

    Just no.

  • OJSlaughter #58 3 months ago

    It takes me a long time to get into the mood for a Final Fantasy game, they always seemed to release it at the right time; wheneven I thought 'Man I could do with a new Final Fantasy game' they release one pretty soon afterwards: this will kill my Fanboyism rather quickly...