Type-0 HD coming out in less than a year, started development in 2012, no Vita version & no FFXV until after it

[Sora96 17,256]

 

The first current-gen Final Fantasy will be out within the next year, it'll serve as something of a stopgap before Final Fantasy XV, and, well, it's got kind of a silly name. 

RPG fans have been waiting a very long time for Final Fantasy Type-0, which was released for PSP in Japan way back in 2011 but has yet to make it to western shores. So when publisher Square Enix announced an HD remake for PS4 and Xbox One at E3 this year, people were stoked. Finally, we'd get to play this thing in English.

 

But if you're anything like me, you've got a lot of questions about this HD remake, mostly because Square Enix has yet to show any real gameplay footage from the game. Don't stress: I saw it today, it looks good, and Square promises they won't make us wait much longer to playFinal Fantasy Type-0.

Today in Seattle, I sat down for a hands-off presentation and Q&A with Hajime Tabata, the veteran Square Enix producer who is heading up both Type-0 and the much-anticipated Final Fantasy XV. Speaking through a translator, Tabata was candid and friendly, answering questions about both games to the best of his ability. (Sadly, Square Enix's PR folks didn't want him talking too much about XV, but he did let a few tidbits slip out.)

Let's go through some of the biggest questions I had about the Type-0 remake.

 

1) When is Type-0 HD coming out?

Within the next year, Tabata says. We won't be waiting longer than 365 days. Tabata and Square won't commit to a concrete release date yet, but by August of 2015, we should be playing this game. 

"We probably wouldn't age another year until it's released," Tabata said. "We really do want the PS4 and Xbox One install base to grow in Japan as well, so we do want a release as quickly as possible."

Though Square's seemingly-hasty announcement at E3 this year made it seem as if the company had only recently started working on the HD port of Type-0, Tabata told me they've been developing this game since mid-2012, when the company shifted development of Final Fantasy XV to PS4 and Xbox One and started getting a feel for those new consoles (which at that point had not yet been announced).

"I started to be involved around July 2012ish," he said. "And at that time, I started to gain a better understanding of the PS4/Xbox One console, and really liked the environment of the platform itself, and I believed it would be a good fit for Type-0 as well."

 

2) Why Xbox One and PS4? Why not Xbox 360 and PS3?

Because Square Enix is concerned about Final Fantasy XV. They want to make sure Final Fantasy fans own current-gen consoles, and Type-0 is their way of helping get people to segue into the modern generation.1

This was something I had assumed when the HD remake was first announced, and Tabata confirmed it this afternoon. "Is it fair to say that this Type-0 HD remake is meant to get more people to buy PS4s and Xbox Ones for Final Fantasy XV?" I asked.

"There is a part where we believe it's kind of like the first step," Tabata said. "When we releasedType-0 on the PSP in Japan, we were able to garner a new audience, a younger user-base. There's a lot of fans who say that Type-0 was their first Final Fantasy, so we're hoping that'll be the same for the overseas market as well, in kind of garnering and capturing that new age group when a lot of our Final Fantasy fans are becoming older, more mature.

"We do hope that it becomes the first basis for Final Fantasy XV when we release that globally."

Plus, Tabata added, he has no experience developing games for Xbox 360 or PS3, so those were never really considered.

 

3) Is Type-0 ever coming to portable systems?

 

Don't count on it. Though Sony flubbed the Type-0 HD announcement, at first declaring that it would be released on Vita before realizing they'd screwed up, Tabata says that was never part of the plan.

"We did consider whether a Vita version would make sense for the title or not," Tabata said. "And then afterwards—this is actually something I realized after creating the PSP version—in order to really bring out the best in this title, I felt that a bigger screen would be more appropriate in terms of the depth that it provides and the distance you have to the enemies, to the characters. It just made more sense to take it to the big screen.

"In terms of controls, also, it made more sense to have these sort of intuitive controls that are available for the console. In addition to that, I am aging as well, and my eyesight is getting worse, so it was easier, naturally easier to develop something for the bigger screen versus the smaller screen."

Tabata says they have no plans to release an English PSP version digitally, either. "That is not being considered," he said when I asked. "First and foremost, we want to get the packaged version to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One."2

 

4) Is it true that Square Enix was planning on localizing the PSP version but changed their minds because of business realities?

 

Yes. Last month, I reported that Square had done the bulk of localization work on Type-0 way earlier, back in 2011, but the PSP's sinking popularity outside of Japan led Square Enix to scrap plans to release Type-0 in the United States and Europe.

Tabata confirmed this today, saying they put a hold on the PSP release outside of Japan when they realized the PSP marketplace wasn't all that viable anymore.

"The biggest reason really was the timing," he said. "After we released the Japanese version, and then it would go into localization, the US PSP market at the time was kinda shrinking. It wasn't the best time for us to garner the best results, so that was the biggest reason we had to forgo the PSP version for the overseas market."

 

5) Will Type-0 HD's development delay Final Fantasy XV at all? 

Tabata, who is both directing Type-0 and co-directing Final Fantasy XV, says no. XV, which was first announced as Final Fantasy Versus XIII almost a decade ago, is their top priority.

"So I had personally, I do want to really kinda push the install-base for PS4 and Xbox One in Japan as well," Tabata said. "I believe that FFXV would play a big factor in that, so I'm prioritizing my time for the development of that, to make sure it releases as soon as possible.Currently for the other titles I'm directing, including Type-0, since we're not building the game ground up, the contents already exist. We're at the point where we're just fine-tuning and balancing the game. My personal time spent on the tuning and balance and whatnot is about 10-20% of my time. 

"We have an amazing development team working on this project that I trust, and there are segments that I kinda leave it up to them to make the final calls on."

 

6) How do Type-0 and Final Fantasy XV differ?

When you see Final Fantasy Type-o in action on a big screen, it's hard not to think of Square's big E3 2013 presentation of Final Fantasy XV. There's blinking, jumping, and all sorts of high-octane action that makes it all feel more Kingdom Hearts, less traditional Final Fantasy. 

So I asked Tabata to describe some of the differences between the two games. Though he said he couldn't talk much about the combat in XV, he did offer this:

"As an over-arching theme, Type-0 is a war-themed game, so it's kind of like a war movie in a sense. Whereas XV is a road trip kind of movie and adventure that focuses on brotherhood. Theoverarching theme is kind of different in terms of scenario."

 

7) Are they adding any new content that wasn't in the PSP version?

Nope. No new story or challenge modes or anything like that. The three main differences are A) high-definition graphics; B) new controls for traditional controllers; and C) difficulty modes, because a lot of Japanese fans told Square Enix that Type-0 was just too hard.

"In the PSP version, the conclusion, the ending, was actually very well received," Tabata said. "But since it's an action battle, and the difficulty's a little higher, not everyone was able to reach that ending... We wanted everyone to really experience, to make it to the end to see the conclusion for themselves. 

"At dinner last night, [translator Amy] told me that she wasn't able to reach the end because action battles were a bit too difficult, so I'd like to apologize for that."

(And Amy, as a Square Enix PR representative added, is very good at video games.)

So the HD remake of Type-0 will have four different difficulty modes, designed to give people options when it comes to how tough they want it to be.

 

8) Does the game look good?

I think so. Don't expect a traditional Final Fantasy here, and don't expect something that pushes the boundaries of what the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One can do—this is a remake of a PSP game, after all—but the few minutes I saw of Type-0 made me want to play more. 

This will be the first single-player Final Fantasy game on current-gen consoles. It's hard not to look forward to that.

 

 

 

Thanks to Kotaku.

[Dio Brando 5,810]

What a spit to Vita owner's face Square Enix.Heck one of the movements that hugely supported the localization movements back then was called #SupportVita if I remember

 

Heck the game was a handheld game in the first place so how hard is it to make a remastered Vita version?

 

Sure I'll be buying it anyway but omitting the Vita is absolutely stupid heck putting it only on consoles is already stupid as it is

[Sora96 17,256]

What a spit to Vita owner's face Square Enix.Heck one of the movements that hugely supported the localization movements back then was called #SupportVita if I remember

 

Heck the game was a handheld game in the first place so how hard is it to make a remastered Vita version?

 

Sure I'll be buying it anyway but omitting the Vita is absolutely stupid heck putting it only on consoles is already stupid as it is

 

Well it's Tabata's decision and he gave a fair reason. And it's still playable on Vita in two ways, so Vita owners need to use of one of those two methods if they still want to play it on their Vita. Just gotta be grateful they're doing this, they could easily have just gone and remastered the other PSP and PS2 games instead.

[Tails 6,692]

Well it's Tabata's decision and he gave a fair reason. And it's still playable on Vita in two ways, so Vita owners need to use of one of those two methods if they still want to play it on their Vita. Just gotta be grateful they're doing this, they could easily have just gone and remastered the other PSP and PS2 games instead.

What are the two ways to play it on Vita?

[Dio Brando 5,810]

Well it's Tabata's decision and he gave a fair reason. And it's still playable on Vita in two ways, so Vita owners need to use of one of those two methods if they still want to play it on their Vita. Just gotta be grateful they're doing this, they could easily have just gone and remastered the other PSP and PS2 games instead.

Tabata is part of Square =Square doing the decision

 

And no in order to use Remote play to play it on the Vita you gotta have a Ps4 which I don't

 

And the Vita needs all the system sellers it could have and even if I want the PSP version that means I have to pay in Yin instead of dollars and it's still in Japanese so I can't read shit

 

Oh yeah I should be grateful.....for what?For the fact that they should've localized it from the get go ever since it's Japanese release

 

And even if we took the whole power thing they could literally just go the "Birth by Sleep HD" route with it and make a remastered version for the Vita instead of the remade graphics 

 

 

Sure I already have an Xbox One(well it's my brother's Xbox One but still) they could've made a Vita version and the excuse they said for not having one is BS

What are the two ways to play it on Vita?

1Buying a Ps4 and use Remote Play

 

2Buy the Japanese PSP version

 

I love how those two ways he mentioned reminds me of Don Mattrick when he told people to get Xbox 360 as a second way to avoid DRM

[Sora96 17,256]

Tabata is part of Square =Square doing the decision

 

And no in order to use Remote play to play it on the Vita you gotta have a Ps4 which I don't

 

And the Vita needs all the system sellers it could have and even if I want the PSP version that means I have to pay in Yin instead of dollars and it's still in Japanese so I can't read shit

 

Oh yeah I should be grateful.....for what?For the fact that they should've localized it from the get go ever since it's Japanese release

 

And even if we took the whole power thing they could literally just go the "Birth by Sleep HD" route with it and make a remastered version for the Vita instead of the remade graphics 

 

 

Sure I already have an Xbox One(well it's my brother's Xbox One but still) they could've made a Vita version and the excuse they said for not having one is BS

 

Yeah, and it would have sold like shit, just like Square Enix's other late-life PSP games. Dissidia 012 sold poorly.

 

Seriously, get over it. It's not like you can't play it. It's coming to the two latest and most powerful platforms in the world rather than one selling like shit and it's biggest market can already play it or a dead platform.

[Dio Brando 5,810]

Yeah, and it would have sold like shit, just like Square Enix's other late-life PSP games. Dissidia 012 sold poorly.

 

Seriously, get over it. It's not like you can't play it. It's coming to the two latest and most powerful platforms in the world rather than one selling like shit and it's biggest market can already play it or a dead platform.

I love how you want me to get over this but can't get over the Xenoblade+New 3DS thing.......

 

Anyway I didn't say it should be a Vita exclusive.....it could've come out on the Vita as well as the other consoles

[TheKingdomkid 1,194]

I love the question will Type-0 delay XV and the answer is no and that XV is their top priority and that's why it's not coming out until after Type-0 like are you firetrucking serious this game has been in development hell for almost a firetrucking decade before being called Final Fantasy XV in 2013 and they are still gonna release like five other Final Fantasy games before this one comes out top priority my ass.  I don't even know what Type-0 is I looked at it when it first came out probably see how it is now and see if I want this or not.

Edited August 30, 2014 by TheKingdomkid

[Sora96 17,256]

I love how you want me to get over this but can't get over the Xenoblade+New 3DS thing.......

 

Anyway I didn't say it should be a Vita exclusive.....it could've come out on the Vita as well as the other consoles

 

I don't even like Xenoblade. Lol. I'm simply concerned there may be a game released only for the "new" 3DS that I like and I don't want to own two 3DS', this isn't a smartphone or PC you upgrade naturally.

 

Well it's not and you're just going to get over it. Stuff like this happens all the time, decision is made and we just have to move on. There's nothing to gain by ranting about it on forums.

[Dio Brando 5,810]

I love the question will Type-0 delay XV and the answer is no and that XV is their top priority and that's why it's not coming out until after Type-0 like are you firetrucking serious this game has been in development hell for almost a firetrucking decade before being called Final Fantasy XV in 2013 and they are still gonna release like five other Final Fantasy games before this one comes out top priority my ass.  I don't even know what Type-0 is I looked at it when it first came out probably see how it is now and see if I want this or not.

Pretty much this

 

If XV was top priority the game would've been done already by now 

 

Square Enix in general has barely any sense of priority and when they have one it's either they prioritize something stupid like the XIII games or something that also has no release date

[Sora96 17,256]

Pretty much this

 

If XV was top priority the game would've been done already by now 

 

Square Enix in general has barely any sense of priority and when they have one it's either they prioritize something stupid like the XIII games or something that also has no release date

 

XIII was developed by Square's #1 team and following the game they fired a lot of the people who worked on it and then outsourced part of the development of XIII-2 and Lightning Returns to tri-Ace.

 

FFXV didn't begin full development until after Advent Children Complete and then they shifted to next gen in mid 2012.

[Anti-SOLDIER 68]

Well damn.  Might have to get a PS4 sooner than I thought. 

 

What I'm glad about is they they confirmed FFXV will have that road trip movie feeling to it because that's exactly how I envisioned it to be.  Type-0 does have that school/war theme to it and that's what I love about it too. 

 

It sucks to not have new content added in because that's what I was most looking forward in this HD remake. Type-0 was hard, but not that hard.  I guess it can be hard for casual gamers though.  In the 4 difficulty levels they're adding, I hope they're adding in a difficulty harder than what the PSP version had. 

[Clouded Sun 1,232]

I don't give a damn what he said or anything about Type-0.

 

Final Fantasy XV is yet again delayed until at least Fall 2015. Just lost my shit today.

Edited August 30, 2014 by Sun Wukong

[Sora96 17,256]

I don't give a damn what he said or anything about Type-0.

 

Final Fantasy XV is yet again delayed until at least Fall 2014. Just lost my shit today.

 

"at least Fall 2014"? Ummm, no. It's clearly not coming out until at least Holiday 2015, and at this rate maybe later.

[Clouded Sun 1,232]

"at least Fall 2014"? Ummm, no. It's clearly not coming out until at least Holiday 2015, and at this rate maybe later.

Whoops. I meant Fall 2015.

Edited August 30, 2014 by Sun Wukong

[KH4Real 749]

So still less chance for FFXV to release in 2015 and that is why we didn't saw anything at E3.

[juma086 263]

Everywhere I go, all I see is complaining. "Where's the Vita version?" "Where's XV?" It saddens me. When a company does something GOOD we should be happy! "Type-0 is getting localized! In HD! On the PS4 and XBONE! Isn't that great?" "No, I want my Vita version, where is my Vita version." It seems that no matter what Square-Enix does, they're firetrucking up. Guys, I hate to say it but the Vita came out about 2 years ago, and is STILL not doing very well. What Sony needs to do is pay some other third-party companies to make some exclusives for the Vita. Until that happens, can you really blame them? It's always something.

 

Oh welI. Guess I'll have to take my PS4 and Type-0 HD and be happy all by myself.

[Sora96 17,256]

Everywhere I go, all I see is complaining. "Where's the Vita version?" "Where's XV?" It saddens me. When a company does something GOOD we should be happy! "Type-0 is getting localized! In HD! On the PS4 and XBONE! Isn't that great?" "No, I want my Vita version, where is my Vita version." It seems that no matter what Square-Enix does, they're firetrucking up. Guys, I hate to say it but the Vita came out about 2 years ago, and is STILL not doing very well. What Sony needs to do is pay some other third-party companies to make some exclusives for the Vita. Until that happens, can you really blame them? It's always something.

 

Oh welI. Guess I'll have to take my PS4 and Type-0 HD and be happy all by myself.

 

My thoughts exactly. It's not like they ever even hinted at a PS Vita release.

[Clouded Sun 1,232]

Everywhere I go, all I see is complaining. "Where's the Vita version?" "Where's XV?" It saddens me. When a company does something GOOD we should be happy! "Type-0 is getting localized! In HD! On the PS4 and XBONE! Isn't that great?" "No, I want my Vita version, where is my Vita version." It seems that no matter what Square-Enix does, they're firetrucking up. Guys, I hate to say it but the Vita came out about 2 years ago, and is STILL not doing very well. What Sony needs to do is pay some other third-party companies to make some exclusives for the Vita. Until that happens, can you really blame them? It's always something.

 

Oh welI. Guess I'll have to take my PS4 and Type-0 HD and be happy all by myself.

I see what they're trying to do,  but in all honesty putting a game that's been in the works for 8 years as their "top priority" and then saying they won't release it until another one comes out is utter bull. There's no reason to build a fanbase because Final Fantasy XV is the game on most consumers' minds who own a PS4/Xbox One at the moment.That's like holding out on a cheesecake to have a second entrée. At this rate, by the time FFXV comes, there will be way more games, and consumers will be too full with the others to give a damn.

 

At least, until something big drops in Japan.

[Sora96 17,256]

I see what they're trying to do,  but in all honesty putting a game that's been in the works for 8 years as their "top priority" and then saying they won't release it until another one comes out is utter bull. There's no reason to build a fanbase because Final Fantasy XV is the game on most consumers' minds who own a PS4/Xbox One at the moment.That's like holding out on a cheesecake to have a second entrée. At this rate, by the time FFXV comes, there will be way more games, and consumers will be too full with the others to give a damn.

 

At least, until something big drops in Japan.

 

To be fair FFXV didn't begin full development until after Advent Children Complete.

[Sendou Aichi 2,356]

Everywhere I go, all I see is complaining. "Where's the Vita version?" "Where's XV?" It saddens me. When a company does something GOOD we should be happy! "Type-0 is getting localized! In HD! On the PS4 and XBONE! Isn't that great?" "No, I want my Vita version, where is my Vita version." It seems that no matter what Square-Enix does, they're firetrucking up. Guys, I hate to say it but the Vita came out about 2 years ago, and is STILL not doing very well. What Sony needs to do is pay some other third-party companies to make some exclusives for the Vita. Until that happens, can you really blame them? It's always something.

 

Oh welI. Guess I'll have to take my PS4 and Type-0 HD and be happy all by myself.

Yeah, I agree on it completley.

That said, it's really not SE fault that the Vita is pretty bad, but rather Sony's fault.

[MythrilMagician 6,963]

As the title says FF Type-0 HD might come to PC. Tabata said in an interview:

 

 

 

"First and foremost, with the Vita version, we wanted to quickly release the PS4 and Xbox One HD version overseas, so we really prioritized optimizing it for those platforms. In terms of the PC version, it’s still up for discussion. It is a possibility, but it’s up for discussion. And it's running it on the PC right now, so…"

 

Here is the source for more information: http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Final-Fantasy-Type-0-Could-Come-PC-67172.html

 

Nothing strange and it is possible, if not now, later. Square Enix did say they want to port the Final Fantasy series to PC so the possibility cannot be ignored.

[Sora96 17,256]

Of course it might, and probably will at some point. They port every single game they can and will make a profit.

[Sora96 17,256]

[Kittenz 4,281]

 

 

The original looks quite fun as a handheld psp game, but the HD version is going to get everything across so much better.