FFXIII demo this year

By Robert Purchese Published 19 January, 2007

Square Enix aiming for E3.

According to the latest issue of Dengeki, Square Enix is preparing a Final Fantasy XIII demo for July this year.

"We are hoping to have a playable demo ready for E3 in 2007," an unnamed company spokesperson told the magazine.

No specifics have been mentioned in terms of content.

Two FFXIII projects are currently being simultaneously developed by Square Enix in Japan. Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII are two alternate titles featuring different characters, worlds and stories. Both will be available on PS3 simultaneously, and will make up "the new tale of the crystal", or Fabula Nova Crystallis, to give it its suitably facetious Latin title.

Final Fantasy XIII is expected to be released across Europe in 2008.

Meanwhile you can read our thoughts on the last of the PS2 Final Fantasy games, Final Fantasy XII, which is released in Europe on 23rd February.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (32) Latest comment 5 years ago

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

  • Tonka #1 5 years ago

    Wii?

  • Der_tolle_Emil #2 5 years ago

    And for one second I was hoping :( Don't tease us!

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #3 5 years ago

    Wii?

    Ah, my fat fingers. Sorry about that.

  • Blerk #4 5 years ago

    E3? :-D

    Shall I tell them, or do you want to?

  • ZuluHero #5 5 years ago

    lol

  • Tonka #6 5 years ago

    Ahaha, now I look like a complete idiot with my first post.
    Better thanīthe usual FIRST though.

    /ok I'm leaving

  • pigsy2400 #7 5 years ago

    hmm,. il be the first person there at E3 to play it,. i love E3, i think that E3 is amazing,. you cant beat a bit of E3,.its better than sex is E3,.. oh,hang on a sec,...

  • Steroyd #8 5 years ago

    Hopefully it'll pop up as a PSN demo i'm sure the Japaneese would buy PS3's in droves just for the demo....

    Yay E3 is the best time of the year where i can look at the newest games, oggle at the booth babes and... and...

    :'(

  • crazyhorse174 #9 5 years ago

    I thought they'd stopped E3?

    Or am I thinking of something else?

  • Shrub #10 5 years ago

    @crazyhorse: E3 has been downsized to the "E3 Media and Business Summit" - a smaller, more closed event than before.

    I think SE will bundle the demo with some other lesser-known PS3 game so as to boost sales of said game. The game chosen would be different for each territory of course, based on past sales if an existing franchise, or feedback/reactions if something else new.
    Edited by 1 at 19/01/07 @ 15:19

  • Zero Beat #11 5 years ago

    I didn't realise Versus was planned for release at the same time. Interesting.

  • Blerk #12 5 years ago

    Actually I'd gotten the idea that Versus was supposed to be appearing sometime after XIII. Possibly by the way they keep saying that it's "hardly been started" in all the interviews they do. :-D

  • JediMasterMalik #13 5 years ago

    w00t

    Hopefully it'll pop up as a PSN demo

    +1

    I don't understand why more demos from game shows don't end up online. Or are they generally larger sized then downloadable demos?

  • Dr.Mott #14 5 years ago

    I don't think so, the Lost Planet Ee3 Demo was only about 350mb.

  • JediMasterMalik #15 5 years ago

    Well then why not stick it on XBL. I'm sure loads of 360 owners are dying to play it, even if it was very unfinished.

  • Mageme #16 5 years ago

    "Final Fantasy XIII is expected to be released across Europe in 2008"

    Forgive my pessimism but with Squenix's past records I'd wager that'd be early 2009 in Europe...

  • JediMasterMalik #17 5 years ago

    Wasn't the only release date they missed FFXII?

    And that was due to various mitigating circumstances. I don't think they have a habit of delaying games.
    Edited by 1 at 19/01/07 @ 16:39

  • Mageme #18 5 years ago

    @JediMasterMalik

    Yes, sorry, I should've stated specifically that I was referencing the lead times for our usual transfer/localisation to Europe and not the actual release dates they announce.
    Edited by 2 at 19/01/07 @ 16:47

  • JediMasterMalik #19 5 years ago

    ^Either way, if the US version is before the EU version, whch it may be, I'll jut import. :)

  • CitizenGeek #20 5 years ago

    Yeah, importing on PS3 will be much easier. I really hope this does come out sooner rather than later - MGS4 makes a PS3 an attractive console, but a full-blown FF title makes it a must have in my books.

  • Scimarad #21 5 years ago

    Oh yes!

    Can't wait to see what this is like. Strange how I feel pretty negative about the PS3 at the moment and one article about FFXIII changes that completely:-)

  • ilmaestro #22 5 years ago

    Oh. Shit.

    Just slightly good news, what a way to start the weekend.

  • ProdigyBE_OPM #23 5 years ago

    "Problem is I got a demo of FFXII free with StarOcean almost two and a half years ago (not that it was playable) but the game still isn't out here... I'll be very happy (yet surprised) if we see a euro release of FFXIII in 2008...Anyway heres hoping."

    Fuck Euro release, the PS3 is region free. The moment it hits US shores, we can play anything. And even more so, racers and beat 'em ups are playable in any language.

    PS3 region free, as Borat would say, iz nice :)

  • davisorle #24 5 years ago

    I just wanted to say that this article is even more stupid than the one about Halo's 3 new gun where guys like JediMasterMalik makes comments about stupid hype... Dude. do you know how stupid this makes you look?

    @Steroyd
    You said
    "1) Acknowledge said games existance at E3 (or wherever).
    2) Piss off and work on the game.
    3) Market the shit out of it a month before release"
    You need to leave stupidity behind. Trying to play it smart proves more and more how stupid you can really be.

    To the rest of you I hope you enjoy FFXIII whenever it comes out :) and I hope I didn't resturb you :p (Blerk, since FF is the only game from Sony's exclusives that I would like to play again do you have any idea if a new FF would be heading soon to xbox? )

    Does anyone play FFXI? I want to start an online RPG since I got borred of the rest and here in Greece noone knows about FF online!!! Any oppinions? I'm thinking of starting it on the PC here at work since I got the night shifts ;)

  • JediMasterMalik #25 5 years ago

    So, you're equating details of a single weapon, to a full gameshow demo?

    Well done. -_-

  • Daikon #26 5 years ago

    Here's hoping they'll go back to the classic turn-based battle system. Not that FFXII wasn't fun mind you, but I found it felt more like Kingdom Hearts on steroids rather than a genuine Final Fantasy game...

  • JediMasterMalik #27 5 years ago

    I haven't played FFXII but I know the combat system isn't like KH at all.

  • Scimarad #28 5 years ago

    +1

    FFXII combat is in no way similar to KH

  • Steroyd #29 5 years ago

    @davisorle

    *sigh* selective quotes you've gotta love em.

    Steroyd also said:
    I'd hate it if I was told a little update every week for games like FFXIII, MGS4 or GTA4 even though I complain of the lack of info on these games.

    Opposite ends of the spectrum.
    Edited by 1 at 21/01/07 @ 16:54

  • NegativeZero #30 5 years ago

    Euro 2008 release? Not bloody likely. I'd expect a Japanese release in mid 2008, and maybe a US release at the end of 2008 if they move quickly. If we get it before 2009 then I'll be extremely surprised.
    Edited by 1 at 21/01/07 @ 22:54

  • Scimarad #31 5 years ago

    /adds obligatory 'The PS3 will be cheaper by then' comment.

  • Blerk #32 5 years ago

    Blerk, since FF is the only game from Sony's exclusives that I would like to play again do you have any idea if a new FF would be heading soon to xbox?

    I wouldn't hold your breath, man.
    Edited by 1 at 22/01/07 @ 09:00