Square announces Final Fantasy 12 in development,
FF11 for PC, FF 7-9 for the PS2, FF2-3 for the WSC, etc      - 1.22.01
Photograph from old interview, 3/17/00

In the Business strategy meeting for analysts held today in Tokyo, Japan (1/22/01) , Square has released a number of announcements in regards to their future projects. Next-generation portable & console machines, movie & TV entertainment, and merchandising from Final Fantast related items will be the key center to Square's focuses. The following are particular notes from the meeting.



1- Final Fantasy XII
Square's next project in the Final Fantasy line-up, Final Fantasy XII (12) has already begun in development. Unlike Final Fantasy XI which will be sold as an online service, Final Fantasy XII will be sold as a retail package software.
Directors for the Final Fantasy XII will include Hiromichi Tanaka (Chrono Cross) and Kouichi Ishii (Seiken Densetsu).



2- Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XI (11), scheduled for sale as an online service, will also be sold for PC as well.
Directors for the Final Fantasy XI will include Yasumi Matsuno (Final Fantasy Tactics) and Hiroyuki Itou (Final Fantasy IX).



3- Final Fantasy X
Square plans to release Final Fantasy X in the US and Europe in November, following the Japanese release in July. Square aims to sell 3 - 3.5 million copies in Japan (formerly aimed at 2.5 million), 1.4-1.8 million in the US, and 1.2-1.5 million in Europe.



4- Final Fantasy 7, 8, 9 to be released for Playstation 2
Final Fantasy XII, XIII and IX -originally created for the Playstation, will be ported to the PlayStation 2 system. Changes in details are not yet known.



5- Final Fantasy 2, 3 to be released for WonderSwan Color
Final Fantasy II and III, originally released in the Famicom (NES), will be ported to the Wonderswan Color.



6- Final Fantasy 4, 5, 6 scheduled to be ported to an unnamed portable machine
Quoted by Vice President of Square Hironobu Sakaguchi, "Final Fantasy 4 - 6, technological wise, cannot move on the WonderSwan Color". While a specific portable game machine's name was not quoted at the meeting, GameBoy Advanced -created by Nintendo co. which Square has had differences in the past with, has been hinted to as the target. Square CEO Hisashi Suzuki quotes "We are doing whatever effort is needed, in order to release the games on it."



7- An original Final Fantasy scheduled for a portable system
Vice President Sakaguchi also noted that a new, original Final Fantasy may be released for a next-generation portable game system. Sakaguchi denied from pointing any specific game machine name.



8- Movies to be created by Square, fully funded by movie companies
As the funds for producing the movies will mount up, affiliated movie companies will fully fund the productions. Square will be liable for the actual production of the movies.



In total, Square announced to concentrate on 12 new line-ups and 11 remakes, totaling to a number of 23 products. Square CEO Hisashi Suzuki quotes; "The fact must be accepted that middle-rank games are no longer selling these days..." "this year, we will use the brand name of 'Final Fantasy' to its full extent.", - a few of which is the planned animation, and merchandising of character related items tied to the Final Fantasy series.

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