Final Fantasy XV Director Had to Tell Development Team to 'Wake Up'

The FF disease has been a problem since after they made X. X and Everything before it was just fine.

And to think we got 3 great stand alone Final Fantasy games on the PS1. Those were the days!!

"If the series didn't modernize, I think it could've been done for," Tabata concludes

i agree 100%, some fans need to take off their nostalgia goggles and learn that if it doesn't grow and evolve with the times then it will die

@FullbringIchigo exactly. And I'm pretty sure this is FF's last shot. This isn't the PS1 era anymore. Adapt or die.

@WebHead Yeah, but, XII was brilliant (I like 13 and 13-2 too). What does it have to adapt to?

Its current demo iteration is far from brilliant, I agree, but what are you suggesting that would make it better?

It's almost here.

@WebHead @FullbringIchigo FF13 was a complete cluster, if that's modernization it will die a sorry death anyway.

I dont think anyone's expecting a turn based game anymore - but so many of what many fans would call pillars of the series have been smashed away, we may well as be playing a game called something else. The last proper final fantasy was ff10. Its not just my opinion, the moment Squeenix started making mmos the whole series capitulated.

@themcnoisy yeah XIII had problems but i still had fun with the first game, it had a nice solid DEFINITIVE ending that was ruined by XIII-2 and LR's time travel story

also the only reason they even made XIII-2 and LR was to fill the void left when Agito XIII and VsXIII became other projects

Lip service

Games by committee, needs to be a dictatorship, yes you can have a few minds but it has to be a dictatorship. You'll end up with a mess or if you go full automated production line you get assassins creed crud.

@FullbringIchigo I enjoyed ff13 also, but its not final fantasy as I know it. In fact, no, it is how I know it. Its been this way for 2 mainline games now plus spinoffs. I've come to the conclusion that by focusing on the west and a change in the designers and key programmers they actually don't have a clue. Just like Capcom with resi 5 and 6. Or 303 with Halo.

@Bad-MuthaAdebisi Or just a clear direction with well managed staff.

I don't think it has to "modernize" if by modernize they mean abandon everything about it that makes it Final Fantasy. "Has to be real time combat" and "has to be open world" and "has to have mainstream appeal".

I mean, I'm not against those things but, turn based games are still selling. Take a look at the charts. Fire Emblem Fates and Valkyria Chronicles both charted in the UK and FE Fates broke records in Japan and the U.S. There is still a market for classic formulas. They just have to actually be GOOD.

Of course, Final Fantasy has always pushed the envelope and I expect that to continue. Go open world. Xenoblade Chronicles X did and it's one of the best JRPG's I've ever played. But don't compromise the franchise thinking people only want games like Witcher 3. Those types of games are great, but there is room in the market for plenty of variety.

Had to tell the development team to wake up... I just can't see this ending well, for Final Fantasy fans' sake, I hope I'm wrong.

Sounds like the dev team was pressured to work overtime to finish by year end. I wouldn't be surprised.

@Dreamcaster-X true and square enix is probably thinking they could have made 3, 60 dollar games instead of just 1, 60 dollar game. I am sure they are making a ton off final fantasy 14, though cause of its monthly subscribers.

Somehow, I am reminded of the people who were angry at the possibility of Final Fantasy XV delaying Kingdom Hearts III... even though that would have been acceptable to me, given that, opposed to Kingdom Hearts III, Final Fantasy XV had been in development over AN ENTIRE CONSOLE GENERATION.

Hajime Tabata is the bleeping man.

I really like what they've done with this game so far. Few issues with the demos for me but nothing major. Of course the series needs to evolve, that's what made it reach the lofty XV number in the first place. Everything needs to evolve if it wants to stay relevant. Yes, XIII wasn't great but far from a disaster that everyone is trying to make it out to be. It knew exactly what it wanted to be and realised that well; yes, it didn't steal the players' heart but they are addressing the complaints now. Not everyone will end up loving it, for sure, but it will sell well and will have a lot going for it regardless of what any one person thinks.

I'm excited to get my hands on the final product, but if I have to be completely honest, none of the footage I've seen feels a lot like Final Fantasy.

I mean, yeah, of course, you have to fight stagnation. But sometimes changes go so far that you'd probably be better off calling the game something else instead.

@Xaessya you won't believe how hard I'm laughing 😂 Genius.

I couldn't agree more and Final Fantasy has always been an innovator. I really don't want something like Lost Odyssey, a game from the '90s with prettier graphics. That said I don't think turn based is bad per se and actually FF13 did a good job at that one aspect: it was turn based but modern and fast.

@JaxonH I agree with everything except Xeboblade... It's terribad! It's like they took everything that made jrpgs fun and threw it away. If something that bland came out with a Final Fantasy title, people would BOMB square Enix. Seriously. The story, the characters... The exploration is really well done though, and it made me found the will to finish it! I think I am going to enjoy #FE way more and it is gonna be my WiiU jrpg

@Feena
Oh I loved XCX of much. Clocked over 500 hours before I set it down. I've never experience such an awesome world in all of gaming. Each continent was roughly the size of The Witcher 3, so full of life and never a dull moment.

There's a few people I talked to who say they didn't like it, but I suppose that goes for any game.

Honestly this is the first single-player FF I've been excited about since IX (loved XI and XIV though), and I think Tabata has a lot to do with that. I'll admit I didn't like the look of XV either when I first saw it - I really did have to just suspend my expectations and eventually the charm just started to click. There's definitely something here that makes me remember everything I loved about the old FF games while still being very, very different to them. Fingers crossed this is a big step in the right direction. Fair play to the guy as well, steering a project like this must be absolutely insane.