Poll: Has the Final Fantasy franchise been saved?

[someguy1231]

A few years ago, many gaming sites were proclaiming the imminent death of the Final Fantasy franchise. The Final Fantasy XIII games had a lukewarm response, both from critics and fans. The Final Fantasy XIV MMO had a disastrous launch. Square Enix was being accused of exploiting gamers by releasing FF mashups on mobiles that were very heavily pay-to-win (most notably Final Fantasy: All The Bravest).

In the last year, though, Square Enix has really started to turn things around. FF XIV was relaunched as "A Realm Reborn" and the whole game was overhauled. I believe it's now one of the top 5 MMORPGs in the world in terms of players, and the game's first expansion is about to be released. Final Fantasy XV was announced and has largely received positive feedback from previews and demonstrations. And of course, the long-awaited remake of Final Fantasy VII has been announced to massive acclaim.

What do you think?

 

[CritialGaming]

I dont think the franchise has been saved. It all rests on how FF15 is accepted. The reason why I say it rests on 15's shoulders is because the FF7 remake wont save the series. If they don't fuck it up, we know FF7 will be good. But 15 is a completely new game and that is the game that MUST be good in order to save the non-MMO entries in the serie's future. Frankly 13,2,3 done fucked it up, and for a while it seems Square has been content to make things pretty but not particularly good. They threw all their eggs into that basket, and frankly it was a basket that had holes and shit in it.

I think the FF7 Remake is Square pushing their panic button. Even if they fuck it up the FF7 it will still basically print money for them. However if they don't do it justice the money wont save them because it will shatter any faith people have left in them. Whether or not you are a FF7 fan, this REMAKE has a put a lot on the line for them.

 

[Gizmo1990]

Can't speak for anyone else (obviously) but no this has not saved Final Fantasy for me. Once upon a time a new FF game was a must have day one purchase for me. Even after experiencing the awfulness of X-2 I still felt that way. Even after being bored to tears by Final Fantasy 'Return of the Jedi' XII I still felt that way. Than XIII happened. It was the straw that broke the camels back. Did not touch the sequals and I have no intention of getting XV until I have read ALOT of reviews and meybe even read a few spoilers because I simply have no faith that SE can make a good FF.

Even if they knock the VII remake out of the park, only updating the graphics and gameplay, as much as I will enjoy it part of me will still be thinking 'Why the hell can't you make them as good as this any more?'.

 

[CritialGaming]

FF13 sold well because of graphics. Plain and simple, they showed off how pretty it was and that caused the game to sell, because people had faith that Square would put together a decent RPG behind all the flash. It wasn't until people played it, and the fact that Square pumped out two sequals to a medicore experience, that people started to get that bad taste in their mouths.

Basically Final Fantasy and Square do not need saving yet....but the ice is getting mighty thin my friend.

 

[Lightspeaker]

They haven't produced a truly great, traditional Final Fantasy in thirteen years. As far as I'm concerned its pretty much been dead since then. It doesn't need "saving" it needs reviving.

I mean lets review shall we...11 was an MMO, 12 was a single-player MMO more or less and contained probably the worst battle system I've ever had the misfortune to play, 13 was okay but I'd hesitate to call it "good" (albeit its not as bad as people make out), 14 was another damn MMO and 15 is looking to be an absolute monstrosity with that battle system they're putting in.

At this point I'm utterly unconvinced they're actually ABLE to make a proper, traditional Final Fantasy game; which just doesn't seem possible considering they published Bravely Default. Like...just look at that game and copy the template. Seriously, you used to be able to do this Squeenix; what happened? Hell I'll probably buy the remake of 7 just because I'm totally starved for decent Final Fantasy games. Thank the gods that Bravely Default is getting a sequel; but I still miss the spectacle of a proper console based Final Fantasy.

 

[Lufia Erim]

Saved? From what? And if it was saved. FF14: ARR did the saving. Square made SO MUCH MONEY off of that it's not even funny. FF15 is going to sell a lot. All the main numbered FFs sell. Do you even understand how much money it would take to remake FF7? If it's true to the original it's probably going to be the biggest game to date. Games were much bigger back then.

 

[Glongpre]

If it's true to the original it's probably going to be the biggest game to date. Games were much bigger back then.

Oooooooo, I kinda hope it will be a 4 disc game. Just like old times. Idk but I liked how all the big rpgs needed 4 discs, kinda gave you the sense it was a big adventure and also a sense of progression.

FF has not been saved. Not until they make a FF as good as the oldies. Which was actually what they said they needed before they would ever remake FF7.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Let's wait for that remake and see, yes?

 

[Zetatrain]

FFXIV:ARR may have stopped the franchise from continuing into free fall, but I wouldn't say its been saved yet. The future of the franchise is pretty much riding upon the success of XV and FF7 the remake. I'd even say the that the success of XV is more important because if it fails it will convince everyone that SE cannot make good(new) FF games. Even if the FF7 remake is a smashing success it'll mean all the franchise has to look forward to is remakes of older FF games.

 

[Fox12]

The new CEO is the real hero of the series. He's trying to move it in the right direction.

Has the franchise been saved? That remains to be seen. FF 15 can't just be good. It has to be great. Unfortunately, after the lukewarm demo, I'm worried. And FF7...

That said, I'm optimistic about the future of JRPG's. The king of the genre has returned, after all. They're called Atlus, and they're releasing a new Persona. Square can fuck up their franchises all they want for all I care.

 

[Tilly]

Well if 15 and the 7 remake both suck, it'll be in trouble given how much has/is being pumped into these games.
At least with 7 remake they've got a lot of the hard work already done for them. And the making a nice fantasy world part is never something they've had trouble with.

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

Interesting that a couple of years ago I made a thread about what Final Fantasy would need to do to drag itself up again, and now there's this...

No, it hasn't been saved. If it previously was plummeting towards the ground, now the pilot has wrestled back some control, but the weather's still turbulent, and it's going to take a while before the plane can reach its proper altitude again.

What you have are announcements and a few improvements. FFXV and the remake of VII are going to have to be hellishly good to get the franchise up to the position it once inhabited.

 

[Maximum Bert]

I dont think it needs saving they always try and innovate to a greater or lesser extent between games and thats rare for huge series now and although there have been some huge missteps they dont stop and thats what I love about the series.

Also money wise FFXIV: Realm Reborn is doing pretty damn well in providing them with funds. They also announced a few more FF titles that look very different at E3 so I think the series is far from in need of saving either i terms of greater public perception, financially or creatively.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

no, you need not look any further than the remake announcement; the fact that Square is doing it is a confession that they have given up on ever surpassing VII. They stressed for years how they wouldn't touch it unless they made an FF that surpassed it in sales and quality. And it never happened. A game nearly twenty years old still hasn't been touched let alone surpassed. They've just given up and settled with reliving a past glory despite how no one who made it was it is is around anymore at Square and that the current crop of talent isn't up to snuff. It's over for FF ever being taken seriously as a series again. Now it is officially a zombie.

 

[CritialGaming]

I hope Square doesn't fuck up the Remake. I mean the game is literally made for them, all tey have to do is literally make the game again, same story, same areas, same battle system, same everything...while simply correcting the spelling and grammer, maybe clean up a few context passages a little, and possibly update some mechanics. So long as they don't get crazy into their changes, everything should be fine.

 

[balladbird]

Eh, the FF slump has largely been exaggerated, in my eyes. XII was divisive, but got considerably more positive buzz than negative, and as underwhelming as some aspects of it were, I have a hard time hating it.

XIII was definitely a failed experiment, and I can see why it would tarnish expectations for the brand, especially since the creators fixated on the setting for three solid games, and the FFXIV debacle was legendarily bad... but XIV redeemed itself in the end, and while XIII and its sequels were underwhelming, the PSP spinoff game was legitimately enjoyable, and XV is enjoying solid buzz for its unique setting and game design.

FF is no longer the king of JRPGS in the west, it's true, not that that title means much, since JRPGS have been much maligned here since last gen... but there's no reason to think the franchise was in danger of collapse, or anything, I think.

 

[go-10]

it's a loaded question

despite how bad XIII, XIII-2, and Lightning Return were they still sold through the roof. Also for as horrible and boring as XIV is it has a lot of subscribers and the game has sold incredibly well warranting it an expansion that has a bunch of pre orders already... so I guess monetary wise, no it didn't need saving

for whatever reason people were claiming that XIII Versus was the game that ould save the franchise and we're getting that with XV now so I guess the series is save?

the VII Remake while cool and awesome let's be honest this is SE here, that game won't be out until Q4 2017