[ZombiePlatypus]

Today marks the 6 year anniversary of the announcement exactly btw. E3 was in May that year.

Hahaha just wow. Nomura wasn't joking in an older interview when he said "fans should forget about Versus for a while."

I know it'd never ever happen, but how amazing would it be if an LE of this game came with a candid behind the scenes look of making this game, from announcing it till they wrapped it up? I'd wager there'd be some intense drama in that documentary.

[Labadal]

No, Nomura has had a minor role on a lot of games this gen: "Creative Director" on TWEWY, "Director" (on games that were primarily directed on the ground by his "co-directors") on the KH handheld titles, and nothing more than lead character designs on FFXIII, Type-0, and XIII-2. KH3 has failed to happen this generation specifically because (unlike handheld games that can be created almost entirely by other people) KH3 is (in SE and Nomura's mind) only possible with Nomura's attention and he's had none to spare due to Versus. I don't mean to belittle Nomura's accomplishments -- he's an extraordinarily talented producer and the best successor to the Gooch in terms of cultivating and overseeing new talent at Square-Enix. But his record since 2006 does not speak to someone who has been wildly productive in their primary purpose at the company. What else was the team doing in this time? It's possible that SE's position is that Versus only started any kind of real development in 2010, but that means that there are still years of team time that need to be accounted for. What seems most likely to me is that they don't consider all of that time to be "full development" in part because large portions of it were completely wasted (in the same way that almost two years of FFXIII's dev cycle were wasted accomplishing nothing) which is honestly even worse. "Hurting" isn't even strong enough. Over the past six years Square-Enix has gone from having three 5m-selling franchises to having one, and this game is the single biggest cause.

While I agree with what you are saying, I keep thinking to myself that he has a small role in too many projects. Still takes time from his work on Versus. Do some characters here, and do some characters there, oversee this, and oversee that. Had he been allowed to focus on Versus, I believe we'd have seen it released sometime this year (pure speculation from me).

[hateradio]

I know it'd never ever happen, but how amazing would it be if an LE of this game came with a candid behind the scenes look of making this game, from announcing it till they wrapped it up? I'd wager there'd be some intense drama in that documentary.

Final Fantasy Versus XIII: Versus Reality
This behind-the-scenes video covers the trials and tribulations that arose during the game's development. See Tetsuya Nomura laugh, cry, mentally incapacitate himself, and finally make it back as Yoichi Wada masturbates to a comatose lightning.

[Krev]

Final Fantasy Versus XIII: Versus Reality This behind-the-scenes video covers the trials and tribulations that arose during the game's development. See Tetsuya Nomura laugh, cry, mentally incapacitate himself, and finally make it back as Yoichi Wada masturbates to a comatose lightning.

Shit, I knew Wada would destroy the world!

[neptunes]

Why did square feel the need to announce and reveal this game 6 years ago? Was it pressure from Sony? Or did the management believe they could have shipped the game after 3 years?

[Narcosis]

Yoichi Wada masturbates to a comatose lightning.

I'm convinced by the fact that I never see Yoichi Wada in any picture do anything except make the same serious face that he may in fact be a robot. I'm pretty sure not even Japan has robots with coma fetishes.....yet.

[kirblar]

I've been expecting Versus XIII to simply become FFXV.

[ZombiePlatypus]

Final Fantasy Versus XIII: Versus Reality This behind-the-scenes video covers the trials and tribulations that arose during the game's development. See Tetsuya Nomura laugh, cry, mentally incapacitate himself, and finally make it back as Yoichi Wada masturbates to a comatose lightning.

I'm convinced by the fact that I never see Yoichi Wada in any picture do anything except make the same serious face that he may in fact be a robot. I'm pretty sure not even Japan has robots with coma fetishes.....yet.

This thread just reached a new apex of greatness. (Also good job Narcosis. Someone's gonna read that now and make those damn robots because Rule 34 goddamn it!)

[Perfo]

Bah, I still think Versus XIII like XIV in 2010 will make an apperance during Sony's E3 Stage. If not, I'd be satisfied if Type-0 at least is there. One big Final Fantasy released per year, I don't ask for more Square.

[hateradio]

Why did square feel the need to announce and reveal this game 6 years ago? Was it pressure from Sony? Or did the management believe they could have shipped the game after 3 years?

I imagine they thought the PS3 as a little hurdle, like a PS2 but with better graphics.

I'm convinced by the fact that I never see Yoichi Wada in any picture do anything except make the same serious face that he may in fact be a robot. I'm pretty sure not even Japan has robots with coma fetishes.....yet.

He's just petrified, but he still has only one thing on his mind.

[Hero]

Does any of SE management even recognize the fact that this lengthy development for the title is hurting the entire company or the mere fact that it's a terrible testament to the way they run things?

[ZombiePlatypus]

Bah, I still think Versus XIII like XIV in 2010 will make an apperance during Sony's E3 Stage. If not, I'd be satisfied if Type-0 at least is there. One big Final Fantasy released per year, I don't ask for more Square.

I'd still be pretty bummed out if it was absent, but I guess I won't complain too much IF we get a lot of meaty info on FFXHD, Type-0, KH3D &...KHIII and/or FFVIIremake.

With the exception of the last two titles that are just not gonna happen, I do not want brand new games taking center stage while a game we've been waiting for, for six years gets the backseat again. If they showcase FFXV while Versus is absent Chola-Reggie will cry man-tears.

I bet it's like a thorn in their side. How could they not know? But what do they do, really.... rush the game and release it before its a good game, ruining their image further? Cancel it? Do as they are doing and continue the endless wait for completion? Lose-lose situation all around.

Waiting it out is gonna be super painful to stick out, but if it's a great product in the end that is well received, it'll undo a good chunk of the damage. (If not all of it.) Rushing or canceling on the other hand will probably be a PR nightmare.

[BocoDragon]

Does any of SE management even recognize the fact that this lengthy development for the title is hurting the entire company or the mere fact that it's a terrible testament to the way they run things?

I bet it's like a thorn in their side. How could they not know?

But what do they do, really.... rush the game and release it before its a good game, ruining their image further? Cancel it? Do as they are doing and continue the endless wait for completion? Lose-lose situation all around.

[M_Night]

Today marks the 6 year anniversary of the announcement exactly btw. E3 was in May that year.

Happy Birthday. I look forward to seeing u soon <3

It's been emotional.

[BocoDragon]

Waiting it out is gonna be super painful to stick out, but if it's a great product in the end that is well received, it'll undo a good chunk of the damage. (If not all of it.) Rushing or canceling on the other hand will probably be a PR nightmare.

Yes, you are right... and I'm sure a lot of this talk of entertaining "cancelling" will look silly one day once the game is out...

But I am sure they want it to be a good game to preserve and improve the image of FF, and it's just taking a hilariously long time to get there, which speaks volumes about their workflow.... :P

[neptunes]

I bet it's like a thorn in their side. How could they not know? But what do they do, really.... rush the game and release it before its a good game, ruining their image further? Cancel it? Do as they are doing and continue the endless wait for completion? Lose-lose situation all around.

I Persomally think they should just cancel it, that is assuming the game is nowhere near complete. They would save more money doing so.

There's absolutely no reason to keep the game shrouded in mystery for so long, unless something was wrong.

[BocoDragon]

I Persomally think they should just cancel it, that is assuming the game is nowhere near complete. They would save more money doing do. There's absolutely no reason to keep the game shrouded in mystery for so long unless something was wrong.

I don't assume something is wrong with the game itself. This is not a Duke Nukem situation IMO.

I assume they believe the future of the FF brand name is resting on the next big title, after the critical failures of XIII and XIV, and the sales failure of XIII-2.

It's just funny that it's taking years and years to become that franchise saving title that they desperately need.

[CorvoSol]

So Same universe , different world ?

Pretty much. But Seven is Lightning. She looks like, identical.

No. No. No. No. XV has to be a return to the 4/6/9/12 Knights meet Technology stuff, and feature characters that are both old enough to vote, and who aren't razor thin or wearing a fuckton of belts. People will have beards, and they'll laugh while punching stuff. Believe!

I don't get this quip. There were plenty of annoying children and teens in the games you listed.

[Auto_aim1]

I'll be really happy if they show it at Sony's conference. Come on Tretton, make it happen.

[jaxword]

I don't get this quip. There were plenty of annoying children and teens in the games you listed.

"My favorite Final Fantasy" arguments involve an incredible amount of rose-colored glasses and carefully-ignored elements.

[Auto_aim1]

I Persomally think they should just cancel it, that is assuming the game is nowhere near complete. They would save more money doing so. There's absolutely no reason to keep the game shrouded in mystery for so long, unless something was wrong.

What would that accomplish, though? I really don't think Square Enix is having difficulties in developing this game. They're just going at it very slowly. Versus will sell well once it eventually comes out.

[neptunes]

What would that accomplish, though? I really don't think Square Enix is having difficulties in developing this game. They're just going at it very slowly. [b\Versus will sell well once it eventually comes out.[/b]

What are you basing that off exactly? and by sell well, do you mean more than just earning money spent on developing it and it's engine, or just breaking even?

[ZombiePlatypus]

What are you basing that off exactly? and by sell well, do you mean more than just earning money spent on developing it and it's engine, or just breaking even?

I'd say it'd probably sell just as well as any mainline Final Fantasy game that had a good run on the sales charts. The game has a lot of hype (even though there's no release date in sight) and a darker more (for the lack of a better term) "grown up" look that'll appeal to a wider audience. It should be huge once the marketing and hype-machine really officially kick in.

[Auto_aim1]

What are you basing that off exactly? and by sell well, do you mean more than just earning money spent on developing it and it's engine, or just breaking even?

Versus is something that a lot of people are interested in. I mean, I could have told you that FFXIII-2 was going to bomb simply by gauging people's reaction to the game. Versus is different, it has the potential to sell as well as FFXIII did (4.5 - 5.5 mil)

[Pranay_]

It will be shown this e3 or tgs

[Dunan]

Also, wouldn't confuse Square's naming conventions with character traits. Lightning, Cloud, Squall, etc, don't really have much to do with their character.

This is just a personal pet theory of mine, but I've always thought that Cloud's name (クラウド) came from not English "cloud" but Latin "claudo", meaning "confine, enclose, imprison, shut in, limit", which really does connect to his personality quite well.

(Edit: There's also the word claudus, meaning "limping, lame; crippled; halting, wavering, uncertain", which fits our Cloud pretty well too.)

[entrydenied]

Looks emo to me, along with the shots in the trailer of him staring at his reflection in the limo window, etc. Why does every Japanese boy want to be a feminine Neo with copy/paste anime hair? Ah well. At least the other character, the one that's definitely a girl, with the light brown hair, at least she seems a bit more palatable in a "girl you might know" sort of way. Really, at this point, shouldn't they just turn this into FFXV?

People in Japan really do have such hair. It's more like games and Anime characters having hairstyles that resemble those in real-life rather than the other way round...

[TheJollyCorner]

Why did square feel the need to announce and reveal this game 6 years ago? Was it pressure from Sony? Or did the management believe they could have shipped the game after 3 years?

This is all speculation, so bear with me:

I think the entire landscape shifted with Sony's play on the generation. The "$599!" fiasco really tripped up a lot of devs that were kind of banking on Sony to continue with the monumental success of PS1 and (especially) PS2. It's also pretty clear that a lot of the major Japanese devs, like S-E, Capcom, and Namco, weren't completely aware Sony would be forced to price the system so high.
We saw the PS3 'teasers' in 2005 and 2006. All the big players were raising their hands in attendance for the PS3: Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, Devil May Cry, Tekken, Ridge Racer, etc. All of those (exception being RR) had traditionally been Sony exclusives in the past, so it was no surprise that there was a high level of excitement for the PS3 initially.

That ball dropped hard not long after. I recall Sony was the last of the big 3 to go that E3 - and we all remember the rest, I'm sure. The following few months would see a lot of devs shifting focus, combined with the surge of success for the 360 in the West.
The following meltdowns regarding multi-plat announcements of DMC4, Virtual Fighter, Tekken, and especially FFXIII, along with exclusives like Dead Rising, Lost Planet, The Last Remnant going to MS over Sony... all of these became legendary in GAF history. :p

In Relation to FFvsXIII:
It seems to me that the White Engine was being designed specifically based on PS3 architecture, S-E formed the ambitious idea of Fabula Nova Crystallis and needed two big games to showcase not only the idea, but the promise of their new next-gen engine. You had FFXIII, obviously, which would be the first, headlined by the king of 'new gen' FFs, Yoshinori Kitase, and maybe the original belief was that, like FFX, they could pull the game off with only about a year or a year and a half of solid development? That would put FFXIII releasing within PS3's first full year and a half, like FFX did for PS2.
Nomura, getting his big boy pants after KH, was promised his own production with the understanding that it would proceed FFXIII. They probably figured they could pull off FFXIII and FFvsXIII like they did with FFVIII and FFIX, i.e. all hands-on-deck for the first game, the closer it gets to completion they start transitioning staff to the next project, use the same engine, and ideally get these games out a year apart from each other.

Add in the internal problems with the White Engine, the company's shift to multi-plat, an entirely new engine being worked on (Luminous), and any other unreported issues within the various productions... now we are here. FFXIII received a depressingly underwhelming release, the Agito XIII title is completely dropped in favor of a less inspiring 'Type 0', XIII gets an 'apology' sequel, and FF fans worldwide now use VersusXIII as a running gag.
That's not even mentioning the FFXIV embarrassment and its impending 'apology' in Version 2.0 re-launch.

How Wada still has his position is perhaps more of a mystery to me than Versus' development muck-up.

[SykoTech]

I'll be really happy if they show it at Sony's conference. Come on Tretton, make it happen.

I sincerely doubt that's Tretton's call.

[.JayZii]

People in Japan really do have such hair. It's more like games and Anime characters having hairstyles that resemble those in real-life rather than the other way round...

Life imitated art, now art imitates life.

[Kagari]

This is all speculation, so bear with me: I think the entire landscape shifted with Sony's play on the generation. The "$599!" fiasco really tripped up a lot of devs that were kind of banking on Sony to continue with the monumental success of PS1 and (especially) PS2. It's also pretty clear that a lot of the major Japanese devs, like S-E, Capcom, and Namco, weren't completely aware Sony would be forced to price the system so high. We saw the PS3 'teasers' in 2005 and 2006. All the big players were raising their hands in attendance for the PS3: Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, Devil May Cry, Tekken, Ridge Racer, etc. All of those (exception being RR) had traditionally been Sony exclusives in the past, so it was no surprise that there was a high level of excitement for the PS3 initially. That ball dropped hard not long after. I recall Sony was the last of the big 3 to go that E3 - and we all remember the rest, I'm sure. The following few months would see a lot of devs shifting focus, combined with the surge of success for the 360 in the West. The following meltdowns regarding multi-plat announcements of DMC4, Virtual Fighter, Tekken, and especially FFXIII, along with exclusives like Dead Rising, Lost Planet, The Last Remnant going to MS over Sony... all of these became legendary in GAF history. :p In Relation to FFvsXIII: It seems to me that the White Engine was being designed specifically based on PS3 architecture, S-E formed the ambitious idea of Fabula Nova Crystallis and needed two big games to showcase not only the idea, but the promise of their new next-gen engine. You had FFXIII, obviously, which would be the first, headlined by the king of 'new gen' FFs, Yoshinori Kitase, and maybe the original belief was that, like FFX, they could pull the game off with only about a year or a year and a half of solid development? That would put FFXIII releasing within PS3's first full year and a half, like FFX did for PS2. Nomura, getting his big boy pants after KH, was promised his own production with the understanding that it would proceed FFXIII. They probably figured they could pull off FFXIII and FFvsXIII like they did with FFVIII and FFIX, i.e. all hands-on-deck for the first game, the closer it gets to completion they start transitioning staff to the next project, use the same engine, and ideally get these games out a year apart from each other. Add in the internal problems with the White Engine, the company's shift to multi-plat, an entirely new engine being worked on (Luminous), and any other unreported issues within the various productions... now we are here. FFXIII received a depressingly underwhelming release, the Agito XIII title is completely dropped in favor of a less inspiring 'Type 0', XIII gets an 'apology' sequel, and FF fans worldwide now use VersusXIII as a running gag. That's not even mentioning the FFXIV embarrassment and its impending 'apology' in Version 2.0 re-launch. How Wada still has his position is perhaps more of a mystery to me than Versus' development muck-up.

Versus has a completely different engine that what FFXIII does by now. It's been retooled to be very action-RPG specific and at one time (still might be) code-named Black Engine.

[Arxisz]

Versus has a completely different engine that what FFXIII does by now. It's been retooled to be very action-RPG specific and at one time (still might be) code-named Black Engine.

Yeah they're basically using parts of various engines for different aspects of the games from what I understand. So a reworked Crystal Tools engine for the gameplay mechanics, while also integrating the lighting of the Luminous engine.Lots of retooling going on indeed.

[Fine Ham Abounds]

6 years isn't much for someone my age, but it means someone who was 12 when this was announced can vote this year.

[Wellscha]

Grow some balls SE. Cancel this game.

[RustyNails]

Final Fantasy Versus XIII: Versus Reality This behind-the-scenes video covers the trials and tribulations that arose during the game's development. See Tetsuya Nomura laugh, cry, mentally incapacitate himself, and finally make it back as Yoichi Wada masturbates to a comatose lightning.

lol

[Kagari]

Grow some balls SE. Cancel this game.

Terrible idea.

[RustyNails]

In Relation to FFvsXIII: It seems to me that the White Engine was being designed specifically based on PS3 architecture, S-E formed the ambitious idea of Fabula Nova Crystallis and needed two big games to showcase not only the idea, but the promise of their new next-gen engine. You had FFXIII, obviously, which would be the first, headlined by the king of 'new gen' FFs, Yoshinori Kitase, and maybe the original belief was that, like FFX, they could pull the game off with only about a year or a year and a half of solid development? That would put FFXIII releasing within PS3's first full year and a half, like FFX did for PS2. Nomura, getting his big boy pants after KH, was promised his own production with the understanding that it would proceed FFXIII. They probably figured they could pull off FFXIII and FFvsXIII like they did with FFVIII and FFIX, i.e. all hands-on-deck for the first game, the closer it gets to completion they start transitioning staff to the next project, use the same engine, and ideally get these games out a year apart from each other. Add in the internal problems with the White Engine, the company's shift to multi-plat, an entirely new engine being worked on (Luminous), and any other unreported issues within the various productions... now we are here. FFXIII received a depressingly underwhelming release, the Agito XIII title is completely dropped in favor of a less inspiring 'Type 0', XIII gets an 'apology' sequel, and FF fans worldwide now use VersusXIII as a running gag. That's not even mentioning the FFXIV embarrassment and its impending 'apology' in Version 2.0 re-launch. How Wada still has his position is perhaps more of a mystery to me than Versus' development muck-up.

Good post, especially the last line. Despite all this clusterfuck, you know that for one reason or another, Wada is simply dying for a FFXIII-3.

[TheJollyCorner]

Grow some balls SE. Cancel this game.

What would this accomplish?
It's factual (regardless of the vaporware jokes/memes) that this game has a significant amount of development completed. Outside of regulars on message forums, I have to imagine a lot of people have forgotten about it. That will be jumpstarted once the info/media floodgates start opening. Book it.

S-E will make money on this game. As VersusXIII, as XV, whatever. Regardless of the wait, I have absolutely no doubts it will be a technical marvel.

This game is going to be big. If marketed right, this could be the first FF in a long time to hit (near) FFVII levels of hype worldwide. Slick, stylized, massive budget, action packed, and hopefully more of an organized overall development than the baffling FFXIII.


...or at least all of this is what S-E (and Wada, I'm sure) are banking on.
If Versus flops, expect to see a historic overhaul of S-E as a company.

[MetatronM]

6 years isn't much for someone my age, but it means someone who was 12 when this was announced can vote this year.

Children who were born after Versus was announced are in elementary school.

[sphinx]

this is like Gran turismo PSP, it took its time but it came.

it won't live up to the hype, I'd say, at this stage it's quite impossible.

[nelsonroyale]

Grow some balls SE. Cancel this game.

even better, cancel everything else

[chris3116]

It's one game that I wanted to play on PS3 along with The Last Guardian which at this point it seems to be another vaporware. I had more hype on FFVersusXIII than on the original FFXIII.

But then again, could it be renamed as FFXV at this point? What I didn't understand about this game, is why did they name it FF Versus XIII? What is the Versus about? It's not a fighting game as I saw on the first trailer.

[AdmiralSnackbar]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AqJZyHRGtM
Square Enix had so much confidence in this game they included the main theme in a best of compilation, released in 2008. I'm not sure what to take away from this.

[TheJollyCorner]

Children who were born after Versus was announced are in elementary school.

My oldest is one of them. Born August 2006. :D :|

[SykoTech]

I don't see how canceling the game would take balls. That wouldn't lead to anything, besides some people on the internet whining and calling SE a joke (which already happens daily). If anything, that would be the easy way out.

Seeing the game through all the way and as it was originally intended would take balls.

[Arxisz]

What would this accomplish? It's factual (regardless of the vaporware jokes/memes) that this game has a significant amount of development completed.

Yep. Nomura has stated that the next time the game will be shown off it will be in real-time and not during a trailer.

[Tiamant]

I... I just realised I've been waiting this game 1/4 of my life.

[TheJollyCorner]

But then again, could it be renamed as FFXV at this point? What I didn't understand about this game, is why did they name it FF Versus XIII? What is the Versus about? It's not a fighting game as I saw on the first trailer.

This is actually an excellent post that magnifies, what I believe, is a significant problem with the project's name.


Final Fantasy Versus XIII


We all know Square-Enix have gotten really... bizarre... with their naming habits, but this is the first one that may actually damage the actual product. This isn't a shot at XIII (which I liked), but it's hard to argue the public perception of FFXIII. I really have to believe it's the reason 'Agito XIII' was removed from the PSP game.
That's just one part of it.
I'm sure there are a lot of people like chris3116 that will look at the name and scratch their heads wondering "what the fuck is this? Some kind of Final Fantasy Fighting game?" It's just a strange, confusing title. Surely S-E has internal focus groups that have said the same thing, right?

It seems S-E (and especially Nomura) are having a blast coming up with the most confusing, asinine names possible for their projects... and I don't think it's that bad for their portable titles to attract attention (video game water-cooler conversations?), but I just don't feel they can risk a title this big, this important, to ride on an obscure, awkward name.

Then again, I'm in the camp that also feels like a 'sub' name, like Type 0, gives off the impression that it's a side-project or something. For the time, money, and air of importance this game will likely give off, renaming it Final Fantasy XV would be the smartest move, IMO. *shrug*

[Zee-Row]

Japanese game development is horrid. They really need to change the way they run things over there.

[Arxisz]

For the time, money, and air of importance this game will likely give off, renaming it Final Fantasy XV would be the smartest move, IMO. *shrug*

That's what I was thinking also, thinking they might do a rereveal at E3 as FFXV but seeing as it's based in the Fabula Nova Crystallis universe, it's hard for them to get away from that name, unless they retract it as being part of that setting.