After a short break, our E3 coverage continues now with Final Fantasy XIV. A new trailer was shown at our E3 press conference, which we’ve included below. After that, our Jaffa Cake-eating colleague dropped by the Square Enix booth for a quick chat on the console-exclusive PS3 edition of this MMORPG.
So I was just passing through the Square Enix booth at E3 and I noticed a door slightly ajar. I can never resist a slightly ajar door so I poked my head in to find Hiromichi Tanaka, senior vice president of software development, sitting down for a Final Fantasy XIV round table interview. There was a spare seat so I sat down, whistling behind a newspaper, and asked a few questions of my own.
As an extra titbit, there was PC monitor running the game in stereoscopic 3D in the same room, although Tanaka told me that this was purely a technical demonstration and he wouldn’t be drawn when I asked if they had any 3D plans for the PS3 version of the game.
How do you feel about the challenge of developing the first MMO on PlayStation 3?
“We had a similar experience with Final Fantasy XI as that was the first MMO on PlayStation 2 [in Japan only]. So this time, things came quite naturally for us and it helped us having the technology in mind from the very beginning.”
How do you intend to reach out to those console gamers that haven’t experienced an MMO before and are used to more instant gratification in their games?
“Because Final Fantasy XIV is designed as a cross-platform MMO, there is no difference between the PC version and the PS3 version. We believe that previous attempts to bring MMOs to consoles have been unsuccessful because they focused too much on adapting their style to suit that audience and they lost the feel of a true MMO. Therefore, regardless of the platform, we are aiming to produce a real MMO with Final Fantasy XIV.”
How much co-operation has there been between you and Sony Computer Entertainment in bringing an MMO to PS3?
“Sony [Computer Entertainment] has been extremely helpful to us, particularly with technical data while we were at the programming stage of development. We’ve also held talks regarding PlayStation Network functionality and we will be making the most of what that offers, integrating trophies and other features.”
What do you think of the PlayStation Move motion controller?
“Unfortunately, we haven’t had chance to try it out yet but we’ve heard very interesting things about it and we’d like to look at supporting it in Final Fantasy XIV, if we get the chance to do so. However, at the moment I would say that there are no current plans.”
HEY SONY AND SQUARE ENIX WHERE THE **** IS FINAL FANTASY VERSUS XIII? I’M LOSING MY PATIENCE FOR THAT GAME AND IT’S MY MOST ANTICIPATED GAME OF RIGHT NOW.
My most wanted game ever!
@20 thats alie, there no fee to play online for ps3, that fe was for ps2, this console of ps3 is free to play for everybody.. The pc version you might have to pay a fee, but ps3 version you ont , because it with the psn network and they dont charge a fee to pay online.. Stop spreadinf lies and rumors in which you have no proof of infromation to prove on. PSn network is free to play games online no matter what genre, Ea charge a fee for online onthe xbox, while Ea games come to us for free online.. TO anyone that does not know all mmo games will be free to play online, dnt let people turn you away from this game with this lie of a sub fee, its nt true nor ha sit been confirmed from sony or psn..
mcbuttz78
@49 LOL i wont buy FF versus 13 an the other stupid FF13 spin offs, i wont even try them until they make a kingdom hearts for ps3, the only FF ill think about getting is FF14, why because i mad at the fact that they are wasting there time an should have started a KH, FF13 is wicked fun an im playing on a ps3 an half way through the 13th chapter
@mcbuttz78 he ain’t liein look around an you will find out that sony may not make you pay to go online but they can’t stop a company from doing so, look at the new super hero game that’s online, that game will cost $15 a month, the games called DC online or something like that
@52 LOL Final Fantasy Versus XII is not a stupid spin-off of Final Fantasy 13. It could be named Final Fantasy 15 easily. It’s a COMPLETE different game, with different characters and story.
@54 really that’s why in the title its 13 not 15 or any other number
Now ff9 is on psn i have no need of another ff game for my ps3!
what I want to know more about is Kingdom Hearts 3 and the 2 spin-off Kingdom Hearts games, since we ans haven’t heard anything about the games…
@LongTallnUgly
My backwards compatible ps3 also died last week, but I paid 188 to Sony for a repair service, I sent my PS3 but they couldn’t repair it, instead they sent me a brand-new PS3, the best part is that it is the SAME version that I had before, yup! they still have those FAT PS3s with PS2/BC! =D THANK YOU SONY.!!!
PSNID: kennyamr (Fan of Square-Enix, Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts)
2 things
There WILL be a subscription fee. They don’t make MMO’s to make chump change off of a one time payment of 60 bucks when they can be getting 15 a month from 500k plus players a month. Playstation network= free, square enix MMO= NOT FREE. Your kidding yourself otherwise. This game will NEVER come to the 360 because microsoft is a bunch of money whores. I played FF11 on 360 and had to pay both the 360 gold fee AND the FF11 fee. So whole ps2 users and pc users were only paying 15 a month to play, I was paying 30.
2nd
quit asking when the Ps3 beta is coming, S.E. will tell you when they are damned good and ready like they have always done. What you SHOULD be asking is if we will be aloud to keep the characters we make in the 14 beta when the game releases or if they are only going to give us premade characters to choose from like they did with the Alpha testers. In FF 11, beta testers were aloud to keep their characters come release time because the beta testers were used to create an economy before release time. Since there is no auction house in 14 there may be no need for persistant beta testers to carry thier characters over. I hope we get to but I will be happy to play the beta either way.
GALKA’s FOR LIFE
LiljohnnyMac A.K.A (Mrbiggelsworth)
Day 1 buy from me same as FFXI JP version (PC)
@LiLJohnnyMac
You forgetting GALKA with SUBLIGAR 4 LIFE.
Please i need to no this.
Will there be a MMO fee for PS3. If so will there be a MMO fee when you have PS Plus. Because Im not getting PS plus and then on top of that paying a MMO fee and buying games.
im pretty sure there charging 13-15 bucks to pay this game online.. its the same as paying for an mmo on p.c. trust me.
@55 LMAO it’s not a spin off you noob. Ask everyone else with a brain around here.
You made an interview about FFXIV and you didn’t ask whether or not there will be a monthly fee for this game? Why?
@64 even if its not im not gonna get it until square gets a brain an make another kingdom hearts
“As an extra titbit, there was PC monitor…”
“As an extra titbit, there was PC…”
“As an extra titbit…”
“extra titbit…”
“TITbit”
This post is still busted in IE, why havn’t you fixed it yet?
@59
May I ask how you know there will be no auction house? I too played ff11 on 360 and found synthesis to be one of my favorite aspects of the game-play experience. I have been to the ffXIV website and they give a storyline of an example character synthing food and getting gil from another character.
@66,
Another KH? You mean Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep?
http://na.square-enix.com/khbbs/
Or perhaps the eventual 3DS’s Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded?
http://na.square-enix.com/e310/gamesDetail.html?id=10
… That help?..
@59,
They occasionally allow the keeping of Open Beta characters whereas Closed Betas are wiped and end somewhat before Open Beta…
GOChetyourself
I know there won’t be an auction house this time around because they said there wont be. The purpose of the auction house in 11 was to allow people to sell goods even when not logged in. If you wanted to sell them yourself in 11 you had to have your character sit there with bazaar goods for hours on end on the same spot while you didn’t play but were still on the server.
The developers have stated several times that they are creating a system where you could sell your own goods via a vendor that works for you (think a virtual lemonade stand) that posts goods your selling even when your logged off. I have heard that it is similar to WOW’s setup but i wouldnt know since that game is for 12 year olds and virgins. (relax WOW folks, its a joke)
On the PLUS side of things Sony has placed FFXIV on it’s Greatest Hits list. While it is speculation at this point, no game on that list is above 40$ in price. This could mean we could get a price break for the game since it IS GOING TO BE PAY TO PLAY.
Those of you that are posting intelligent responses with good questions (like GoChetYourself and Reinheart) When the game finally does release Look for a pimp looking Galka named Mr. Biggelsworth for some linkshell action. We plan on making a very unique Company/linkshell hybrid.
mcbuttz78
ok I am not going to be mean to you. I am just going to assume you have no idea what you are talking about, so let me correct you a bit with proper information. While psn is free to use you have to understand that when you play an mmo you are actually connecting to square-enix’s server database which is run by them not sony. And therefore there will a subscription fee. Now I don’t know how much as they haven’t said, but it won’t be free 100% guaranteed. They have to be able to pay for the upkeep of the servers which hold the information of A:) your character and all of it’s items/statitistics “which are not held on your hardrive” B:) the crossplatforming of pc’s ps3’s maybe xbox360<-that I have no idea C:) they will have updates etc. But rest assure that whatever the fee is it will be well worth it!!..for any of you that played ffxi you will know that it's an experience that is like nothing else in the world! This is deffinetly the game i've been waiting for on the ps3 over any game
Still my most anticipated upcoming game strictly based on how much time I will spend with it, especially since I won’t retire after three years like I did in FFXI.
My only issue is that I want some Trophies for this so I’ll buy both copies, but my PC will be a better option for this type of game (running my PC for many hours at a time is a better option than running any console for that long). I hope they integrate some sort of sharing system for accomplishments or even have the game recognize what you recently did internally so Trophies unlock the next time you play on PS3.
Interesting that they are considering implimenting the Move device.
I always swore that I would never play a mmorpg (I spend enough on games without any monthly subscription fees) but I’m kinda interested in this.
It would have been nice to hear something about versus13 though, is that still ps3 exclusive?
Ok, XIV online looks good and its a HUGE step up from XI but im all about Versus XIII as well. I think the only reason that they are maken the MMO first is to get some income before they roll out the next FF whatever it may be. They also need to work on KH as well, its been what….3/5 years since KH2 came out? Get your ass in gear and roll em out! Yea games need time but 5 year to make FFXIII alone?! come on now…i dont wanna wait another…year for versus to show itself. I am startin to lose my “Kool” SE
so ecxited! for this to come out!!!!! 11 was amazing, can only imagine what this will be like.
the ff is from the best game in my life I was afraid screen fight of the game, but is Really good.
…. anyone know how much a month its going to be???
im gonna get it no matter … just curious
After getting somewhat of a taste of how fun MMOs can be with WKC, I’m pretty interested in this. Even though it may be the first game on PS3 I’ma have to pay to play, I’m still looking forward to this. Besides, I’ve liked all the main Final Fantasy games since I started playing (X, XII, VII, VIII, and XIII).
another online final fantasy is the worst idea square has had since they decided to put the new kingdom hearts on psp.. i mean are they eating paint chips over there? bc theyre [DELETED]