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Tag: Final Fantasy (Series)

Genre: Japanese Role-Playing Game

Creator: Hironobu Sakaguchi

Developer: Square, Square Enix

Publisher: Square, Square Enix

Sales: 159 million units *As of 2020

 

Final Fantasy is a long running Japanese Role-Playing Game (JRPG) series for video game consoles. It has received both commercial and critical success over decades. Because of its success, it is often the first thing that comes to mind when someone says JRPG or even RPG.

 

Series’ Origins

 

Final Fantasy’s first installment was released in 1987 in the form of Final Fantasy for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, Final Fantasy was almost called “Fighting Fantasy” before the company settled on “Final Fantasy” in order to avoid trademark issues.

Prior to making Final Fantasy, Sakaguchi was not a well-liked figure within the company. Only a few employees volunteered to help him on his Final Fantasy project, and only after years of unsuccessfully trying to pitch the game’s idea to Squaresoft’s executives, at the time. Squaresoft would greenlight Final Fantasy, only after Dragon Quest showed that Role-Playing Games could be hugely successful in Japan.

 

Dragon Quest remained the king of Japanese RPG sales in Japan, but Final Fantasy was successful enough to save Squaresoft from the brink of extinction in the late 80s, and unlike Dragon Quest, Sakaguchi’s creation went onto become a global success.

 

Top Selling Title: Final Fantasy VII (13,258,000)

 

Released in 1997 on the original PlayStation, Final Fantasy VII was an influential title. The 7th installment in the Final Fantasy franchise brought J-RPGs into the mainstream and helped Sony’s debut console outsell the Nintendo 64 in the mid 1990s.

 

Final Fantasy VII is credited with igniting the golden era of Japanese Role-Playing Games as it drove the genre to previously unseen levels of commercial success during the late 90s and early 2000s. Final Fantasy VI did not sell well on the US, leaving many wondering whether Final Fantasy VII would be the one JRPG to finally break through western audiences.

 

Sony, who at the time faced fierce competition from Nintendo, and Sega, gave Square Enix (Squaresoft at the time) an unprecedented deal with major royalties for Squaresoft. This, even though Sony itself would publish the game outside of Japan. Sony, alongside Squaresoft, spent millions of dollars in a huge marketing campaign that went from TV spots, to major Magazine Advertisements and press coverage.

 

Sony’s gamble paid off as Final Fantasy VII arrived on US shores to universal critical acclaim, and chart-topping sales on September 7, 1997. Even today, Final Fantasy VII frequently ranks in the top three spots of “Greatest Final Fantasy Games Ever” lists. With more than 13 million copies sold across different platforms, and various re-releases, Final Fantasy VII remains the series’ most iconic, and commercially important entry.

 

Highest Rated Title: Final Fantasy IX (Metacritic: 94)

 

Hironobu Sakaguchi’s final ‘Final Fantasy’ entry on the PlayStation, is also the series’ finest chapter. As far as critical scores go, no Final Fantasy entry has ever received higher critic scores than Final Fantasy IX.

 

Final Fantasy IX ditched the futuristic, and steam punk scenarios of the series’ previous three entries in favor to a return to the Sword and Sorcery themes of the first five entries in the franchise.

 

Lowest Rated Title: Final Fantasy XIV Online (2010)

 

Final Fantasy XIV was so bad (49 Metacritic) that it was canned before it ever made it to consoles and had to be rebuilt by Square Enix in order to salvage it a few years later. Naoki Yoshida (Director) and his team built a new engine, and completely overhauled the game into Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn which because a big commercial, and critical success in place of the FFXIV’s catastrophic failure.

 

Latest Title: Final Fantasy VII Remake

 

First teased as a PlayStation 3 technological demo in 2006, the long-awaited Final Fantasy VII Remake finally arrived after 14 years on the PlayStation 4 home console. Powered by the Unreal 4 engine, the game updated the iconic cast of heroes, and villains with modern visuals. Remake in name, but a sequel set in an alternate reality, Final Fantasy VII Remake launched to positive reviews, but without the fanfare, or critical acclaim to match the original 1997 classic.

As part 1 of a planned multi-episode series, Final Fantasy VII Remake covers only an alternate reality of the Midgar section of the original game. While a sequel has been announced, there is no time frame or date announced for its release.

 

Titles (Main):

 

1987: Final Fantasy (NES)

1988: Final Fantasy II (NES)

1990: Final Fantasy III (SNES)

1991: Final Fantasy IV (SNES)

1992: Final Fantasy V (SNES)

1994: Final Fantasy VI (SNES)

1997: Final Fantasy VII (PS1)

1999: Final Fantasy VIII (PS1)

2000: Final Fantasy IX (PS1)

2001: Final Fantasy X (PS2)

2002: Final Fantasy XI *MMORPG (PS2)

2006: Final Fantasy XII (PS2)

2009: Final Fantasy XIII (X360, PS3)

2010: Final Fantasy XIV *MMORPG (Windows PC)

2013: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn *MMORPG (Windows PC, OS X, PS4, PS3)

2016: Final Fantasy XV (Xbox One, PS4, Windows PC)

 

Spin offs and Sequels:

 

1990: Final Fantasy Legend (GameBoy)

1991: Final Fantasy Legend II (GameBoy)

1992: Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (SNES)

1993: Final Fantasy Legend III (GameBoy)

1998: Final Fantasy Tactics (PlayStation)

2003: Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (GBA)

2003: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (GameCube)

2003: Final Fantasy X-2 (PS2)

2008: Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift (DS)

2008: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates (DS)

2008: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King (Wii)

2009: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time (DS, Wii)

2009: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Dark Lord (Wii)

2009: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers (Wii)

2020: Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4)

Yoshida: Final Fantasy is Struggling to Keep Up With Industry Trends

Posted on August 17, 2022August 17, 2022 by Samuel Rivera

According to Final Fantasy XIV savior, and FFXVI producer, Naoki Yoshida, the series is struggling to keep up with current industry trends. The beloved producer said as much in a recent Inverse interview. The producer recognizes that the mainline series is behind the times, but understands that it will be hard to please every fan…

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Final Fantasy XIII

The Worst Main Numbered Final Fantasy Games of All Time

Posted on July 12, 2022July 12, 2022 by Samuel Rivera

Final Fantasy is a long-time running series populated by good to great games. But there are a few exceptions to that rule. I have made an effort to list the five worst main Final Fantasy games of all time on this list.  This is not a list based on Metacritic or GameRankings. It is a list…

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Final Fantasy XVI cover

Final Fantasy XVI Will Not Feature an Open World

Posted on June 23, 2022 by Samuel Rivera

Despite the fact that Final Fantasy XV ventured into “open world” territory (with restrictions), which was a first for the series, Final Fantasy XVI’s producer, Naoki Yoshida, has confirmed that his game won’t feature an open world, even though the game takes inspiration from modern AAA open world RPGs. It is Difficult To Translate A…

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Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster

Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster: An Exceptional Way to Experience Final Fantasy

Posted on May 29, 2022May 29, 2022 by Paul Cessna

Why Pixel Remaster over the Original NES Title? I initially planned on playing the Nintendo Entertainment System edition of Final Fantasy from 1990 (US NES), but I recalled that the game had been rereleased within various collections and on a multitude of different systems. After a little searching for which version to play, I decided…

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Final Fantasy IX Top PlayStation Games

Final Fantasy IX’s Animated Series to be Revealed This Week

Posted on May 24, 2022May 24, 2022 by Samuel Rivera

Final Fantasy IX is about to get a new lease on life 22 years after its original release by way of an animated series, and rumored “remake” of the game. An interview by Animation Magazine with Bruno Danzel d’Aumont, VP of international licensing and marketing at Paris-based animation powerhouse Cyber Group Studios confirmed that the…

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Final Fantasy VII Remake

Square Enix to Make a Final Fantasy VII 25th Anniversary Announcement in June 

Posted on May 20, 2022May 20, 2022 by Samuel Rivera

Final Fantasy VII Remake director, Tetsuya Nomura, announced during the Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier livestream that the publisher will share 25th anniversary news on Final Fantasy VII in June. Nomura’s comment has sparked some interest and curiosity within FFVII fans everywhere.  Will there be a Final Fantasy VII Remake Episode 2 Trailer with…

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FFXV cover

After More than 5 years Final Fantasy XV Sells 10 million Units

Posted on May 18, 2022 by Samuel Rivera

So, Final Fantasy is not what it used to be. Over the last 20 years, the series has lost its luster with critics. Even though most of its games are now multi-platform releases with considerable selling potential, its titles have struggled to sell proportionately well. Thus, the news of Final Fantasy XV finally reaching the…

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Final Fantasy XVI

Final Fantasy XVI Producer Wants Players That “Drifted Away” From FF Back

Posted on April 29, 2022 by Samuel Rivera

As we await for the arrival of Final Fantasy XVI, we recognize that Final Fantasy is, perhaps, the most famous name (aside from Pokemon) in terms of Japanese role-playing games. The series’ fame in the west was largely built in the 1990s with Final Fantasy VII and a few other PlayStation entries which drove the series…

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Final Fantasy VI Terra Statue

Sakaguchi: Is Square Enix “Okay” After Unveiling a $11K FFVI Statue? 

Posted on April 26, 2022 by Samuel Rivera

Ah! Final Fantasy VI! To many longtime fans of the series, the aforementioned game is the best in the series. Despite the fact that it didn’t sell well (in contrast to the PlayStation 1 entries) initially, Square Enix would release the game over multiple systems after its SNES release, growing the game’s popularity after its…

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Final Fantasy XVI Sword

Square Enix President: Japanese Developers Shouldn’t Imitate Western Games

Posted on April 19, 2022 by Samuel Rivera

It is well known that except for The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, and now Elden Ring, Western RPGs rule the gaming world in terms of sales. Square Enix is a successful company, but its Final Fantasy series has fallen off its “king of the hill” perch over the last two decades with newer RPG games…

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