“Kingdom Hearts III” is a meaningful evolution of a nearly 16-year-old franchise that manages to not only absorb the best bits of the 15 games that came before it, but also enrich them with refined graphics and the addition of Pixar to the Disney-Square-Enix mash-up.
The game, which still doesn’t have a release date beyond sometime in 2018, was shown off to a gathering of press on Thursday evening in Santa Monica. Those in attendance were given the game, playing through a boss fight in Hercules World and then playing through nearly a third of the Toy Story World levels.
Before starting the hands-on play sessions, Shinji Hashimoto, executive producer of the series, welcomed everyone and then kicked off a panel discussion about the game with community manager Sunil Godhania and “Kingdom Hearts III” co-directors Tetsuya Nomura and Tai Yasue.
The talk confirmed that “Kingdom Heart III” will wrap up the...
The game, which still doesn’t have a release date beyond sometime in 2018, was shown off to a gathering of press on Thursday evening in Santa Monica. Those in attendance were given the game, playing through a boss fight in Hercules World and then playing through nearly a third of the Toy Story World levels.
Before starting the hands-on play sessions, Shinji Hashimoto, executive producer of the series, welcomed everyone and then kicked off a panel discussion about the game with community manager Sunil Godhania and “Kingdom Hearts III” co-directors Tetsuya Nomura and Tai Yasue.
The talk confirmed that “Kingdom Heart III” will wrap up the...
- 5/18/2018
- by Brian Crecente
- Variety Film + TV
Final Fantasy is 30 years old and to celebrate, Square Enix threw a big party that included tons of new content! Check it all out below!
For the last 30 years, the Final Fantasy brand has been really good for Square Enix (previously Square Soft). The brand, alone, has produced over 100 titles and garnered millions of dollars. So, to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of their flagship game, Square Enix has decided to throw them a year-long party, starting today!
As all good birthday parties go, you have to have some fantastic gifts. However, instead of them presenting the gifts to Ff, they decided to generously share them with us, the fans. At today's celebration, Square Enix Executive Officer/Final Fantasy Brand Manager, Shinji Hashimoto unveiled a smorgasbord of new content for Final Fantasy VII Remake, Final Fantasy Xv, and Final Fantasy Xii: The Zodiac Age.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
It's not much,...
For the last 30 years, the Final Fantasy brand has been really good for Square Enix (previously Square Soft). The brand, alone, has produced over 100 titles and garnered millions of dollars. So, to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of their flagship game, Square Enix has decided to throw them a year-long party, starting today!
As all good birthday parties go, you have to have some fantastic gifts. However, instead of them presenting the gifts to Ff, they decided to generously share them with us, the fans. At today's celebration, Square Enix Executive Officer/Final Fantasy Brand Manager, Shinji Hashimoto unveiled a smorgasbord of new content for Final Fantasy VII Remake, Final Fantasy Xv, and Final Fantasy Xii: The Zodiac Age.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
It's not much,...
- 1/31/2017
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Matt Malliaros)
- Cinelinx
It has been a quiet few months for Final Fantasy Xii The Zodiac Age. Since being announced prior to last year’s E3, Square Enix has been seemingly coy in showing any further footage of the remastered 2006 original, with the last update provided at the Tokyo Game Show back in September. During last weekend’s Taipei Game Show, however, series brand manager Shinji Hashimoto took to the stage to introduce the title to audiences, even going as far as to have producer Hiroaki Kato partake in a live demo for all to see.
Clocking in at six minutes, much of the gameplay focuses on exploration and combat, with Square no doubt keen to show off the remastered character models and backgrounds, but some screen time is dedicated to the game’s overhauled user interface, too.
As was the case with its Final Fantasy X HD Remaster a few years back...
Clocking in at six minutes, much of the gameplay focuses on exploration and combat, with Square no doubt keen to show off the remastered character models and backgrounds, but some screen time is dedicated to the game’s overhauled user interface, too.
As was the case with its Final Fantasy X HD Remaster a few years back...
- 1/23/2017
- by Joe Pring
- We Got This Covered
Square Enix
Final Fantasy VII has long been considered one of the best RPGs of all time due to its incredible characters, captivating storyline and fun battle sequences. However, although it has a special place in the hearts of many gamers, its biggest flaw is that, compared to the games we play now, some parts are seriously outdated.
Which is why when Sony announced at E3 2015 that they planned on remaking the entire game for the millions of fans who had begged and pleaded for it over the years. Gamers around the world rejoiced like Christmas had come early. Finally, the greatest game in the series would get a much-needed revamp with all new features, yet hopefully still keep the charm that made it so popular when it was first released.
However, according to executive producer Shinji Hashimoto, there will be parts of the original that won’t make the cut,...
Final Fantasy VII has long been considered one of the best RPGs of all time due to its incredible characters, captivating storyline and fun battle sequences. However, although it has a special place in the hearts of many gamers, its biggest flaw is that, compared to the games we play now, some parts are seriously outdated.
Which is why when Sony announced at E3 2015 that they planned on remaking the entire game for the millions of fans who had begged and pleaded for it over the years. Gamers around the world rejoiced like Christmas had come early. Finally, the greatest game in the series would get a much-needed revamp with all new features, yet hopefully still keep the charm that made it so popular when it was first released.
However, according to executive producer Shinji Hashimoto, there will be parts of the original that won’t make the cut,...
- 9/9/2015
- by Aundre Jacobs
- Obsessed with Film
For years, Star Wars fans were left in limbo; the original trilogy of movies starting in 1977 were listed as the fourth, fifth and sixth episodes in the series. Quickly, they became a cultural phenomenon, and the fan-base clamoured for more; people desperately wanted to see what happened in episodes one, two and three. Which beloved characters would we see in their youth? How did the Empire riiiiiiise to power? And just how did Darth Vader fall from grace?
Cue 1999’s The Phantom Menace. Alarm bells were ringing as the iconic on-screen scrolling text started telling a story about trade federations and political unrest; not exactly setting the scene for a swashbuckling lightsaber adventure. What followed was widely derided by the most ardent fans of the original trilogy. And it’s not tough to see why. Anakin Skywalker is an annoying brat. Terrible CGI infects basically every scene. Darth Maul, Aka...
Cue 1999’s The Phantom Menace. Alarm bells were ringing as the iconic on-screen scrolling text started telling a story about trade federations and political unrest; not exactly setting the scene for a swashbuckling lightsaber adventure. What followed was widely derided by the most ardent fans of the original trilogy. And it’s not tough to see why. Anakin Skywalker is an annoying brat. Terrible CGI infects basically every scene. Darth Maul, Aka...
- 7/22/2015
- by John Cal McCormick
- SoundOnSight
Square Enix cut through the wall of E3-related white noise recently to register a pairing of domain names, which suggest that the company may reveal a sequel to 2013’s Tomb Raider at the upcoming event.
First spotted by Internet sleuth Superannuation, those domains in question include Rise of the Tomb Raider and Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris. At present, each URL is a static blank page, though the fact that the company laid claim to these in the days leading up to E3 suggests that Lara Croft could make an appearance in some shape or form.
And while this doesn’t necessarily confirm a reveal for the inevitable sequel to 2013’s Tomb Raider, it does give us a hint at what Square Enix plan to unveil on stage at the Los Angeles convention center. Moreover, there are rumours suggesting that one of these could well be a...
First spotted by Internet sleuth Superannuation, those domains in question include Rise of the Tomb Raider and Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris. At present, each URL is a static blank page, though the fact that the company laid claim to these in the days leading up to E3 suggests that Lara Croft could make an appearance in some shape or form.
And while this doesn’t necessarily confirm a reveal for the inevitable sequel to 2013’s Tomb Raider, it does give us a hint at what Square Enix plan to unveil on stage at the Los Angeles convention center. Moreover, there are rumours suggesting that one of these could well be a...
- 6/9/2014
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
by Matt Hawkins
With yesterday's arrival of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix, which collects Kingdom Hearts, the very first one, Re:Chain of Memories, the PS2 port of the Gba installment that takes place between KH1 & Kh2, and 358/2 Days, though just the cut scenes, many believe we are one step closer to Kingdom Hearts 3.
Turns out, that's not really the case. Says who? Why, the producer himself.
In an interview with IGN, Shinji Hashimoto, the man who came up with the idea of Kingdom Hearts in the first place and who is slated to produced part 3, has one very simple reason for his delay: he already has too much on his plate. The same goes with the game's director, Tetsuya Nomura:
"So at E3 this year we announced Kingdom Hearts III and Final Fantasy Xv. Both have Tetsuya Nomura as their director, so we can’t create these two big games at the same time.
With yesterday's arrival of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix, which collects Kingdom Hearts, the very first one, Re:Chain of Memories, the PS2 port of the Gba installment that takes place between KH1 & Kh2, and 358/2 Days, though just the cut scenes, many believe we are one step closer to Kingdom Hearts 3.
Turns out, that's not really the case. Says who? Why, the producer himself.
In an interview with IGN, Shinji Hashimoto, the man who came up with the idea of Kingdom Hearts in the first place and who is slated to produced part 3, has one very simple reason for his delay: he already has too much on his plate. The same goes with the game's director, Tetsuya Nomura:
"So at E3 this year we announced Kingdom Hearts III and Final Fantasy Xv. Both have Tetsuya Nomura as their director, so we can’t create these two big games at the same time.
- 9/11/2013
- by MTV Video Games
- MTV Multiplayer
Square Enix has confirmed that the all-star First Production Department developing Final Fantasy Xv include Shinji Hashimoto (producer), Tetsuya Nomura (director and character designer), Hajime Tabata (co-director) and Takeshi Nozue (lead art director). Yoko Shimomura, the famed composer who is best known for her work in the Kingdom Hearts series has also been confirmed for Final Fantasy Xv. Additionally, Square Enix detailed the cast and synopsis of Final Fantasy Xv: • Noctis Lucis Caelum: A childhood affliction endowed Noctis, heir apparent to the throne of Lucis, with the mystical power to see a heavenly light, through which he could sense others' deaths. Noctis rejects rigid royal conventions and acts as somewhat of a renegade, much to the dismay of those who tend to him. Yet while "...
- 6/26/2013
- by Pietro Filipponi
- The Daily BLAM!
Remember when Square-Enix Chief Technology Officer, Shinji Hashimoto, revealed at the Playstation 4 reveal event that we should be excited for E3 (hell, he practically begged us to be)? That his company has another Final Fantasy game cooking away for the next-gen? Well, according to an unknown source that has allegedly leaked intel to VGLeaks, perhaps this game is actually an upcoming exclusive to the PS4 — namely, Final Fantasy Xv.
This is the very definition of a rumor. It’s a website claiming that someone from within has told them that Final Fantasy Xv will be exclusive to Sony’s upcoming platform. There is no named source and the only hint at one is the author of the VGLeaks article defending himself in the comments, stating that he doesn’t want to ruin the relationship between VGLeaks and their source. Having said that, let’s continue with the juicy details.
Now,...
This is the very definition of a rumor. It’s a website claiming that someone from within has told them that Final Fantasy Xv will be exclusive to Sony’s upcoming platform. There is no named source and the only hint at one is the author of the VGLeaks article defending himself in the comments, stating that he doesn’t want to ruin the relationship between VGLeaks and their source. Having said that, let’s continue with the juicy details.
Now,...
- 3/21/2013
- by Paul Villanueva
- We Got This Covered
It's official: the new console is called the PlayStation 4.
Andrew House started the event talking about Sony's consumer-centric vision for the company. From the Vita to previous consoles, they've strived to create play on the goal and in the home. A new console is the result of Sony's desire to match parity with gamer demands for connectivity and developer insight into the needs of a system.
House promised a console that will be the most personalized system, the most adaptable, and offering more opportunities to remain connected even away from the primary console.
Lead system architect and industry veteran Mark Cerny explained that development on the new console bgan four years ago. The key talking point of his time on the stage is in connecting a broad range of services with a single console. Netflix and other services worked well on the PS3, he explained, but they wanted to offer a more fluid,...
Andrew House started the event talking about Sony's consumer-centric vision for the company. From the Vita to previous consoles, they've strived to create play on the goal and in the home. A new console is the result of Sony's desire to match parity with gamer demands for connectivity and developer insight into the needs of a system.
House promised a console that will be the most personalized system, the most adaptable, and offering more opportunities to remain connected even away from the primary console.
Lead system architect and industry veteran Mark Cerny explained that development on the new console bgan four years ago. The key talking point of his time on the stage is in connecting a broad range of services with a single console. Netflix and other services worked well on the PS3, he explained, but they wanted to offer a more fluid,...
- 2/21/2013
- by Charles Webb
- MTV Multiplayer
Around the web, since its announcement before last year’s Tokyo Game Show, talk has been flying around about a remake of Final Fantasy X being in the works. While it was slightly overshadowed by releases of more recent titles in the franchise it was still interesting news, but that was all the information we had other than it being marketed for the Playstation 3 and the Playstation Vita.
However, this changed during the weekend at the Taipei Game Show, where Shinji Hashimoto was asked by the media if Ffx was going to be a remake or a remaster. His response?
A remaster.
“The game is being developed like a high-definition remaster, but the visuals will look much better compared to the original.”
Remasters, for those who are unfamiliar, refer to the HD updates that have been cropping up recently such as Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, and Metal Gear Solid,...
However, this changed during the weekend at the Taipei Game Show, where Shinji Hashimoto was asked by the media if Ffx was going to be a remake or a remaster. His response?
A remaster.
“The game is being developed like a high-definition remaster, but the visuals will look much better compared to the original.”
Remasters, for those who are unfamiliar, refer to the HD updates that have been cropping up recently such as Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, and Metal Gear Solid,...
- 2/9/2012
- by Harriet Jones
- Obsessed with Film
Final Fantasy X for the PS3 and PlayStation Vita is not a remake, Square Enix has confirmed. Clearing up confusion surrounding the upcoming Sony re-release, Square Enix's Shinji Hashimoto said that the game is being developed like a "remaster", according to Nova Crystallis (via Ff Reunion). "It's being developed like a remaster, but the visuals will be much more improved compared to the original game," he revealed. The comments contradict a previous statement made by producer Yoshinori Kitase, which suggested that the game was a (more)...
- 2/6/2012
- by By Liam Martin
- Digital Spy
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