Speaking at the recent Final Fantasy 25th anniversary celebration opening ceremony (via Gematsu), Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada further commented on when fans can expect to see Final Fantasy Versus XIII:
When it reaches the level where it gives you that nostalgic, “this is Final Fantasy!” feeling, I want to show it to everyone.
Meanwhile, the publisher discussed the future of the Final Fantasy franchise at the Final Fantasy Gallery (via Andriasang).
The firm were asked a question from the audience who stressed that the more recent Final Fantasy installments have a strong western or sci-fi image, and the fact that that it would be refreshing to see a Japanese-style Final Fantasy come into fruition. Motomu Toriyama, the director of Final Fantasy XIII and its sequel, as well as the recently announced Lightning Returns, agreed with the fan, as did Isamu Kamikokuryo, the art director of Lightning Returns.
Hajime Tabata, the director of The 3rd Birthday and Final Fantasy Type-0, even showcased image boards created by Square Enix artists that depicted what a Japanese-style Final Fantasy may look like. While the image boards were meant to be for the attendees’ eyes only, smaller versions of the screens stemming from the viewfinder of the camera can be seen below.
The conclusion of the event saw Tabata mentioning Final Fantasy Versus XIII‘s development, which was followed by a message that said “Tetsuya Nomura wanted to give the message that he’ll soon show the future of Final Fantasy.” However, it’s not clear whether Nomura’s comment pertains to to the PlayStation 3 exclusive or another title.
