What you need to know
- Microsoft has a 45 minute long presentation at the Tokyo Game Show this week, showcasing their continued efforts to promote Xbox gaming in Asia.
- On my XB2 Podcast recently, I hinted that I’d heard more Final Fantasy games were slated to be revealed for Xbox at the event.
- Now, it seems at least one of those has been confirmed, with a reddit user in Germany noting an advertising banner seems to have gone live prematurely.
- The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection comprises all the classic 2D Final Fantasy games, from Final Fantasy all the way to Final Fantasy VI, regarded by many as the peak of the franchise.
- Final Fantasy 14 recently launched on Xbox and Final Fantasy 16 recently launched on Steam, but it could be a while before we see Final Fantasy 7 Remake hit Xbox.
Long suffering Final Fantasy fans on Xbox are about to get a reprieve, if this leak is accurate.
A short while ago on our XB2 Podcast, I shared hints I received that Final Fantasy would feature in Microsoft’s Xbox Tokyo Game Show presentation, slated for September 26, 2024, later today in fact. The show will go live on various platforms at 3 AM PST / 6 AM EST / 11 AM BST and 7 PM JST, and Microsoft may have just accidentally leaked one of the reveals.
Shared via reddit, it seems some Xbox gamers in German-speaking regions of Europe received a banner ad for the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection, reading “Now available” when translated. The banner links out to a dormant store page as of writing, but the verbiage seems to suggest that the game will be shadow dropped and become available instantaneously during the show.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster banner appears on Xbox ahead of Tokyo Game Show. Xbox TGS broadcast is scheduled 3 AM PT. https://t.co/pgKofa2bCM pic.twitter.com/rC0gVYLJAmSeptember 25, 2024
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection comprises every Final Fantasy game up to Final Fantasy 6, which many regard as the franchises’ high point of the classic era. These games were legendary in pushing the envelope for in-game music, story delivery, and the RPG genre in general, and remain nostalgic favorites for many.
Up until now, the games have been exclusively unavailable on Xbox. You can play the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games on virtually every other platform imaginable, including Android and iOS, but for whatever reason, Square Enix didn’t see fit to bring them across to Microsoft’s home-grown console platform.
At the most recent Final Fantasy Celebration, Xbox head Phil Spencer appeared on stage alongside Final Fantasy alumni to talk about the Final Fantasy 14 launch on Xbox. It was part of a broader partnership that Microsoft has been working to course correct, after various Final Fantasy games became PlayStation exclusive, including Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Rebirth, and Final Fantasy 16.
The JRPGs are beloved by millions of older players across the globe, although they have struggled to find a modern audience among younger players by the firm’s own admission. Final Fantasy 16 and Rebirth both missed Square Enix’s own sales targets per filings with shareholders. In response, Square Enix has pledged to gun for simultaneous platform launches for future titles, targeting Xbox, PlayStation, and PC more closely than before. They may have their work cut out, though, as many users have complained about Final Fantasy 16’s optimization on PC, which arguably still needs a fair bit of work.
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A step in the right direction
Microsoft has worked incredibly hard to gain support of Asian developers in recent years. Microsoft has managed to land simultaneous treatment for long-standing outliers like Yakuza, as well as Atlus’ Persona titles, including the upcoming Metaphor: ReFantazio. Microsoft has also finally landed the wildly popular global Chinese phenomenon Genshin Impact for Xbox, set for November 2024.
It’s not all wins, though. Microsoft has missed out on strong third-party Asian games like Phantom Zero, Stellar Blade, and Black Myth Wukong. It’s had some exclusive wins of its own, though, including Palworld, which only just launched on PlayStation this past week.
Final Fantasy remained a difficult one for Microsoft, though. Missing out on every Final Fantasy game since Final Fantasy XV, Microsoft has begun repairing the situation starting with Final Fantasy 14, which is Square Enix’s answer to World of Warcraft in essence, and arguably remains the best alternative MMORPG.
I’ve heard that the entire Final Fantasy slate is on the agenda for Xbox, too, including games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. I’m told the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy may be further out, though. It seems more likely we’ll get Final Fantasy 16 ahead of those, although it’s unclear for now. I’m sure we’ll learn more about Square Enix’s plans for Xbox, and Xbox’s plans for Japanese and wider Asian region games at the Tokyo Game Show, later today. I’m personally hoping to see the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games hit Xbox Play Anywhere, so I can grab them on my Lenovo Legion Go as well.