[:plant:] Final Fantasy IV: The After

Mystery URL At Japanese Microsoft Site Suggests 360 Final Fantasy IV: News from 1UP.com

Originally Posted by 1up

Go ahead, click on this link:

http://www.xbox.com/ja-JP/games/f/finalfantasy4/

Notice that Microsoft Japan's server appends a "details.page/" to the URL. Now try a different one; replace "finalfantasy4/" with "finalfantasy5/", gibberish, or anything else. No "details" are appended.

What does this mean? A "finalfantasy4" is registered on Microsoft Japan's Xbox 360 web page for some reason -- and we'd be willing to guess it might represent a forthcoming Xbox Live Arcade port of Square Enix's recent cell phone RPG Final Fantasy IV: The After. Just last week, Microsoft stated the following in its press release concerning Square Enix's first two XBLA releases, Yosumin and Crystal Defenders: "Beginning with these two games, Square Enix plans to release a steady stream of its popular titles -- as well as original content -- on Xbox LIVE Arcade". Both Yosumin and Crystal Defenders are ports from mobile platforms, so it's not such a stretch to imagine The After might be next.

Final Fantasy IV: The After is a direct sequel to FFIV, written and directed by original creator Takashi Tokita. A serial RPG in twelve chapters for the Japanese cell phone services (iMode, Yahoo!, and EZWeb), The After stars Cecil and Rosa's son, Ceodore, and takes place a decade after the events of the original game.

Well, finally IV gets the sequel everyone wanted. I just hate that it is on 360. Thoughts? I think it's pretty cool and I hope its somewhat decent.

if there's already a thread on this, go ahead and merge

Jam it back in, in the dark.

FFIV was definitely my favorite final fantasy (although I haven't played 8, 9, 11 yet) and I'm excited to see a sequel. I've always been a die-hard Nintendo fan though, so I guess I'll have to borrow my roommates 360.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Until anything is even vaguely confirmed this is just one massive rumour based on a URL, especially since now the finalfantasy4 page is the same gibberish seen on the ff5 URL equivalent, and it could have just been a cock up. Guess time will tell.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

If this is true, I'd like to know how this cell phone port ended up on the 360 out of all systems. I'd rather lay odds on it being the original FF4 since there isn't anything between the 4 and the /.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

If this ends up being true, and it's exclusive to XB Live, then I'm wondering why Microsoft would make an offer to Square Enix for a 16-bit direct sequel to an over ten year old game. An all-platform release would be best, undoubtedly, but speaking by preference, I would prefer to play a digital download of a 16-bit game, an RPG no less, on the Wii. At any rate, I'm happy of the possibility that Final Fantasy IV: The After might be getting localized over here. Next, Mother 3, please. *looks at Nintendo*

Edit: Well, thinking about it, I'm not saying it's automatically assumed that Microsoft made an offer for exclusivity, since Square Enix has been supporting Xbox 360, lately.

I was speaking idiomatically.

FFIV is my fav too. Hopefully this is true. Square I don't think would leave out American gamers with a true FFIV sequel.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Miho

I'm wondering why Microsoft would make an offer to Square Enix for a 16-bit direct sequel to an over ten year old game.

Yeah, it sure is confusing why they'd want to secure exclusivity to a guaranteed seller like that, eh? That sort of thing never happens in this industry, no sir. I AM SHOCKED AT THIS TURN OF EVENTS.

And no one knows fucking shit, anyway. No one even knows if it will be exclusive. How do we come to that conclusion based off of a fudged up URL.

FELIPE NO

I'm not saying it won't make a profit, but for a 16-bit sequel is a little bit weird, and you're being a little condescending towards me.

No one is confirming anything, we're speculating.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

You're damn right I'm being condescending.

My point is that anything with the FF name attached to it is free money. It would be dumb NOT to make a move for it.

Speculation is all well and good but it should be reasonably easy to add 1 and 1 together here.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I'm on the fence just how much money a game like this will earn Microsoft. I mean, yeah sure, it's an FF title, but it's pretty niche if you figure that it's a 16-bit sequel. Besides the loyal following of people who grew up with Final Fantasy IV, I question how well it would sell if it were exclusive to the Xbox 360.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by OutRunner

You're damn right I'm being condescending.

My point is that anything with the FF name attached to it is free money. It would be dumb NOT to make a move for it.

Speculation is all well and good but it should be reasonably easy to add 1 and 1 together here.

I speculate a cell phone game follow-up to one of the most beloved games of all time will not live up to expectations.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Miho

I would prefer to play a digital download of a 16-bit game, an RPG no less, on the Wii.

What difference does it make which console you can play digital downloads of 16-bit RPGs on? How is the Wii any better at serving these games than any other console?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Because of the controller. I prefer the Classic controller over the PS3 and X360 controllers.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Miho

I'm on the fence just how much money a game like this will earn Microsoft. I mean, yeah sure, it's an FF title, but it's pretty niche if you figure that it's a 16-bit sequel. Besides the loyal following of people who grew up with Final Fantasy IV, I question how well it would sell if it were exclusive to the Xbox 360.

In an age where there seems to be regional exclusivity deals over ports of games that flopped horribly last generation, it seems to be the logical followup that something that would most certainly be a better deal than that should also at least get the attempt.

Secondly, Mega Man 9 did pretty good for itself despite falling into a similar category that you're throwing this into. One could theoretically imagine similar sales in this game's case, possibly more. I can understand them wanting to get a part of that action.

Deni: I never said it would be good. Hell, I never even said it would go exclusive, or to expect it, or anything. I'm just saying it's silly to assume they won't make a pass at it. (It's all theoretical anyway, I'm just throwing the argument out there based on the rather faulty assumption that this URL actually means anything.)

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

That sounds like good news though I doubt they'll do much to change up the battle system or the role playing elements to garner interest from me. I've been growing more and more to like the PC way of doing RPGs. If they at least do away with random encounters and have something similar to FFXII then I might be interested. Of course it's also an extremely vague rumor so who know what's going to happen with this IP.

I'd personally like to see a FFVI sequel and/or remake. Any system is fine really, except PS3 because I don't own it.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Miho

Because of the controller. I prefer the Classic controller over the PS3 and X360 controllers.

Of course. So the best platform for a game is the one on which you prefer the controller. Naturally. All business should be done this way.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Thanks for the sarcasm. Next time be direct with what you want to say, good sir. In a 16-bit game's case, there isn't going to be much of a difference between all three platforms, aside for the preference of the controller.

Look, is this a gang-up on me or something, I detect this being a classic case of regulars ganging up on a newb, or someone who doesn't post as much. It bothers me that you can't respect each other in a civilized manner without resorting to mud slinging. It's juvenile.

I have my preferences, and I have my views on this particular topic. Am I more wrong than you, or are you more wrong than me? No one is really saying anything factual. It's all going by "what I think" or "what you think."

And, that, seems to be, at large, a bigger problem at GamingForce, but that's a topic for another day, and sorry that I derailed the topic, but people kept pecking at my posts.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

For the record, my comment had nothing to do with stature, or regularity to the board, or any such nonsense, it was purely in response to the fact that you made a stupid point. Your justification for why this 'non-game rumour game' should be on the Wii, and not the 360, is because you prefer that controller. Businesses don't base their decisions around the whim of one person, because well hang on now, I prefer the 360 controller. And well, my mate Jeff, he's odd and he likes the Dual Shock 3. Damn which platform should it be on now?

You've come in here and leaped to all sorts of assumptions - about the fact that this is going to be a port of the mobile phone game, that it's going to be 16-bit - and make all sorts of silly statements as if talking with some sort of authority on why your random guesses are accurate, and then have the audacity to suggest that people calling your arguments silly are only doing so because you don't post that much. Please.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Miho

Thanks for the sarcasm. Next time be direct with what you want to say, good sir. In a 16-bit game's case, there isn't going to be much of a difference between all three platforms, aside for the preference of the controller.

Look, is this a gang-up on me or something, I detect this being a classic case of regulars ganging up on a newb, or someone who doesn't post as much. It bothers me that you can't respect each other in a civilized manner without resorting to mud slinging. It's juvenile.

I have my preferences, and I have my views on this particular topic. Am I more wrong than you, or are you more wrong than me? No one is really saying anything factual. It's all going by "what I think" or "what you think."

And, that, seems to be, at large, a bigger problem at GamingForce, but that's a topic for another day, and sorry that I derailed the topic, but people kept pecking at my posts.

Hey there.

Actually, there is no element of ganging up on the new guy going on here at all. What's happening is people are ganging up on the guy who's talking nonsense and you'll find that happens a lot, whether the guy talking nonsense joined yesterday or years ago (See Dopefish for example).

It is a simple fact that writing Final Fantasy on a game guarantees reasonable if not good sales.

It is also a fact that Microsoft have been throwing money at Square to secure exclusives of late, just look at The Last Remnant and getting access to Final Fantasy XIII can't have been cheap.

It's fairly undeniable that Square have suggested that they'll be chucking out some of their old stuff on the XBLA in the future.

It's pretty common knowledge that the XBLA generates much higher sales than Wiiware.

Taking all these undeniable facts into consideration, do you not see how you might be viewed as a bit simple to think that Square and Microsoft wouldn't between them come to some mutually beneficial arrangement regarding the release of some Square IP's over XBLA, at the exclusion of their rivals?

On a more subjective level, I'm struggling to see how the controller really makes a blind bit of difference to a traditional jrpg, given it'll spend most of the time held limply in your grasp while you endlessly select the same four options from a battle menu. I mean, it's not like they require precision inputs is it? Unless of course you have tiny and feeble hands that can't cope with anything bigger or heavier than a GameCube controller in which case I meant no offence and I can see why you might prefer to play games on the Wii.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

To be fair Prime, 1up is making that assumption that it's going to be a port of the FF4 sequel from the cell phone...yet when it comes down to it that's pretty much all this is. However, now that I think about it, does anyone know of Square bringing a cell phone game to the US previously?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

A port of a 16-bit game does not a 16-bit game make. See where the logic falls down there.

Most amazing jew boots

Originally Posted by SuperSonic

To be fair Prime, 1up is making that assumption that it's going to be a port of the FF4 sequel from the cell phone...yet when it comes down to it that's pretty much all this is. However, now that I think about it, does anyone know of Square bringing a cell phone game to the US previously?

While non have actually come yet (as far as I know), wasn't Parasite Eve 3 officially announced to hit the PSP over here?

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by OmagnusPrime

A port of a cell phone game does not a cell phone game make. See where the logic falls down there.

Quoting and fixing because it applies again.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Miho

Thanks for the sarcasm. Next time be direct with what you want to say, good sir. In a 16-bit game's case, there isn't going to be much of a difference between all three platforms, aside for the preference of the controller.

Look, is this a gang-up on me or something, I detect this being a classic case of regulars ganging up on a newb, or someone who doesn't post as much. It bothers me that you can't respect each other in a civilized manner without resorting to mud slinging. It's juvenile.

I have my preferences, and I have my views on this particular topic. Am I more wrong than you, or are you more wrong than me? No one is really saying anything factual. It's all going by "what I think" or "what you think."

And, that, seems to be, at large, a bigger problem at GamingForce, but that's a topic for another day, and sorry that I derailed the topic, but people kept pecking at my posts.

So... you don't prefer the classic controller over the xbox one? Why did you say so then?



What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by OmagnusPrime

For the record, my comment had nothing to do with stature, or regularity to the board, or any such nonsense, it was purely in response to the fact that you made a stupid point. Your justification for why this 'non-game rumour game' should be on the Wii, and not the 360, is because you prefer that controller. Businesses don't base their decisions around the whim of one person, because well hang on now, I prefer the 360 controller. And well, my mate Jeff, he's odd and he likes the Dual Shock 3. Damn which platform should it be on now?

You've come in here and leaped to all sorts of assumptions - about the fact that this is going to be a port of the mobile phone game, that it's going to be 16-bit - and make all sorts of silly statements as if talking with some sort of authority on why your random guesses are accurate, and then have the audacity to suggest that people calling your arguments silly are only doing so because you don't post that much. Please.

I have never said that it should be on one console over the other. I said I'd like to play the game on the Wii, because I like the feel of the Classic controller. I'd rather not play 2D RPGs using the bulky X360 controller.

Originally Posted by Shin

It is a simple fact that writing Final Fantasy on a game guarantees reasonable if not good sales.

It is also a fact that Microsoft have been throwing money at Square to secure exclusives of late, just look at The Last Remnant and getting access to Final Fantasy XIII can't have been cheap.

It's fairly undeniable that Square have suggested that they'll be chucking out some of their old stuff on the XBLA in the future.

It's pretty common knowledge that the XBLA generates much higher sales than Wiiware.

Taking all these undeniable facts into consideration, do you not see how you might be viewed as a bit simple to think that Square and Microsoft wouldn't between them come to some mutually beneficial arrangement regarding the release of some Square IP's over XBLA, at the exclusion of their rivals?

Yeah, you make good points. I realize that Square and Microsoft could come to an agreement, although, it would be nice to offer the game on all platforms so everyone could get a chance to play it, and yeah, it's an opportunity for more profit going to Square.

Anyway, guys, sorry about all this. I didn't mean for this to turn into a heated debate.

Jam it back in, in the dark.