Sora96 prediction: Motomu Toriyama & Yoshinori Kitase are developing Final Fantasy X-3

[Sora96]

In late 2013, director Motomu Toriyama and producer Yoshinori Kitase released Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII for PlayStation 3 & Xbox 360 and a month later they released Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster for PlayStation 3 & PlayStation Vita. The Lightning Saga was finally finished and a new generation of consoles had begun.

Released alongside Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster in Japan was a HD Remaster Ultimania included in this was an interview with Kazushige Nojima, the main scenario writer of Final Fantasy X & Final Fantasy X-2 along with Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy XV. Nojima touched on the possibility of a potential third entry in the sub-series by trotting out the typical fan demand mantra – saying that if there were enough demand, then there could possibly be new developments. He himself would, however, like to see a sequel such as “Final Fantasy X-3.”

Clearly, Nojima already has a story in mind because he wrote a novella titled Final Fantasy X-2.5 ~The Eternal Calm~ that released alongside the HD collection in Japan. Now a 2.5 seems a bit weird if there isn't going to be 3. This isn't all though, included in the HD collection is an audio drama also written by Nojima that follows up the events of the novella, however it brings zero closure and instead opens up a million possible outcomes. Sin is back, Auron has a daughter, Yuna is dating another summoner, Tidus has his own issues after his head was blown off and it sounds like Auron is coming back along with Braska and Jecht.

Nojima said the usual "if there were enough demand", well Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster sold like crazy and sold over 500,000 copies in Japan alone.

In an interview with Famitsu.com, Motomu Toriyama confirmed he was in Business Division 1, which is headed by Yoshinori Kitase. This Business Division structure started in December 2013. Of course this is no surprise since these two have worked together since 1999 as director & producer respectively and even before that on Final Fantasy VII in different roles. So of course, whatever Toriyama is directing, Kitase is of course producing.

Of course, some people are going to think, didn't they say it wasn't in development? Well yes, Shinji Hashimoto & Kitase both said so over a year ago but this when they would have still been getting sales from North America, Australia & Europe for X/X-2 HD. Chances are they were waiting to see how the HD collection performed before beginning development. Not to mention, you aren't just going to say to a journalist, "Yeah we're developing this game for PS4 & Xbox One. Please be excited".

On December 27, 2014 in a developer survey with 4Gamer.net, Toriyama said “My next title is in well underway in development. We'll be able to announce it in 2015, so please look forward to it!”

Recently, Square Enix president & CEO, Yosuke Matsuda confirmed a new JRPG for home consoles will be revealed at or around E3 2015.

E3 of course occurs next month and Square Enix is holding a conference which is a very expensive thing to do and with Final Fantasy XV confirmed to only have a small showing and Kingdom Hearts III likely to be the same, they must have a big announcement planned.

Shinji Hashimoto also recently promised more PlayStation 4 announcements from Square Enix in 2015. Shinji Hashimoto is almost certain to be the executive producer of Toriyama's new title.

In addition, Business Division 1 is the only major division to have no big projects announced. Division 2 is working on Final Fantasy XV, Division 3 is working on Kingdom Hearts III, Division 4 is working on Dissidia, Division 5 is working on Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward, Division 6 is working on Dragon Quest XI while Division 7 is working on Star Ocean 5.

Also, most of the core team behind the Lighting Saga is not working on any announced Square Enix projects. This includes:

Yuji Abe (Game Design Director)
Nobuyuki Matsuoka (Battle System Director)
Daisuke Watanabe (Scenario Writer) - Same role role for FFX & FFX-2
Masashi Hamauzu (Composer) - Same role for FFX & FFX-2

And don't forget, Square Enix is releasing a PlayStation 4 port of Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster on May 12-15 which boasts even further enhanced graphics. This is rather quick and they're the only developers porting PlayStation 2 games to PlayStation 4 at this stage. Not to mention, the audio drama is still included.

Did I also mention Final Fantasy X has won awards recently? Final Fantasy X won a Users' Choice Award and PlayStation Gold Prize at the PlayStation 20th Anniversary event. And even more recently it won a Famitsu Award.

Square Enix is also doing something related to Final Fantasy X-2 on May 25 & 26. Bit odd to do something with a game that is 12 years old and the PS4 port comes out a couple weeks before then.

And before someone brings up Mobius Final Fantasy, development is likely to be finished before E3 begins so the staff from that title will likely be working on Toriyama's title afterwards. They've also most likely outsourced part of the game.

Also, Yoshinori Kitase is still an executive at Square Enix, so Square Enix still has complete faith in the man who directed Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII along with Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI with others.

Motomu Toriyama has also now directed more Final Fantasy games than Hironobu Sakaguchi and unless he's working on a new IP, his new record is set to be made bigger.

Yes, I know a lot of you might have negative feelings towards these two after Final Fantasy XIII but you must remember the game suffered from development issues and in case you forgot they addressed all the criticisms (Linear, no towns, no mini-games, quests) from Final Fantasy XIII to the extreme in Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII.

And to anyone who's still saying that X or X-2 had a perfect ending, I agree completely, I love those endings, but Nojima wrote the novella and audio drama and they're canon so they really should bring closure some how. Even if it resulted in a movie like Kazuyuki Ikumori the director of Visual Works said he'd like to make one of, I'd be very excited for that too.

In conclusion, I personally can not wait to see Motomu Toriyama and Yoshinori Kitase's new title. I have been waiting for this since April 2014. I personally like every single game Toriyama has ever directed or written and the same can be said for every single game Kitase has worked on that I've played. Even if their title turns out to not be Final Fantasy X-3 and is instead a new IP or even Parasite Eve 4 I will have no issue with it at all. I am excited for their new title whatever it is. Toriyama is my favourite director while Kitase is my favourite producer. Please be excited, I know I am.

 

[yeah_93]

This is some 1Truth-level prediction.

 

[Sora96]

This is some 1Truth-level prediction.

At least I know my favourite director is revealing his game very soon.

 

[Lulcielid]

This is some 1Truth-level prediction.

Not sure if thats a good thing or not ....
Joking aside, if its is indeep FFX-3 i just only wish that the game is good regarless of it being the second sequel to FFX.

 

[Squirrel Emperor]

This is some 1Truth-level prediction.

I worry we're going to have to put both of these two on suicide watch if there findings don't become a reality.

It seems like an unhealthy obsession. If none of it is true, then it would mean all that hard work they've put into their research will mean absolutely nothing. That could be quite depressing!

 

[Infest]

Take aside that I absolutely doubt that we'll see this game, is there even demand for a X-3?

I personally don't want to see any sequel to an old FF at all. Doesn't matter if it'd be a X-3 or a VIII-2 /IX-2. Those story's are told and they were not meant to be expanded in any way. Just leave the games be and create new worlds that we can also learn to appreciate and love as well! If I want to revisit those nostalgic worlds I can already do it whenever I want.

 

[Squirrel Emperor]

In regards to FFX/X-2, I could argue that the PS4 port is happening because the PS3 version came out during a time when console software sales were on a decline. So it's not so much because of FFX-3 but to maximize sales.

I could also argue that there is concern that the Final Fantasy fanbase hasn't quite shown up on next generation consoles yet. So before releasing the big gun, FFXV, they're going to release smaller cheap stuff first that they can produce quickly in order to establish that user base. This is probably less of a concern now though.

Another thing I could argue is that the reason why we're seeing all these HD ports from last generation is because it takes too long to make AAA games now. So the purpose of these ports are to prevent droughts and to make sure customers don't ever have that sense of one. In addition, making sure Square Enix has something to sell every year is the reason why Eidos was acquired. The HD era has reduced the company's output.

In addition, Business Division 1 is the only major division to have no big projects announced.

Mobius Final Fantasy is a big project for mobile platforms that is being handled by Business Division 1. The concept of the game is to make a home console experience for mobile devices. The team behind the game does not consider it to be a spin-off but a full entry in the series. They have veterans who have worked on main numbered Final Fantasy titles working on it.

 

[Mistwalker]

Take aside that I absolutely doubt that we'll see this game, is there even demand for a X-3?

There wasn't any demand for a FFXIII-2 and they ended up releasing a threequel. Square Enix doesn't care about demand for what it seems like.

 

[Lulcielid]

There wasn't any demand for a FFXIII-2 and they ended up releasing a threequel. Square Enix doesn't care about demand for what it seems like.

Maybe there was japanese demand and the western were just silence

 

[Infest]

There wasn't any demand for a FFXIII-2 and they ended up releasing a threequel. Square Enix doesn't care about demand for what it seems like.

That's a different situation because they simply needed to do sth. with their overly expensive crystal tools engine and they still had tons of unused assets from the long devleopment cycle of XIII. The results were two cheap sequels that didn't need to sell millions of copies to be profitable.

 

[Squirrel Emperor]

There wasn't any demand for a FFXIII-2 and they ended up releasing a threequel. Square Enix doesn't care about demand for what it seems like.

That’s simply because Square Enix was not properly prepared for the challenges and harsh realities of the HD era.

 

[Sora96]

I worry we're going to have to put both of these two on suicide watch if there findings don't become a reality.

It seems like an unhealthy obsession. If none of it is true, then it would mean all that hard work they've put into their research will mean absolutely nothing. That could be quite depressing!

Take aside that I absolutely doubt that we'll see this game, is there even demand for a X-3?

I personally don't want to see any sequel to an old FF at all. Doesn't matter if it'd be a X-3 or a VIII-2 /IX-2. Those story's are told and they were not meant to be expanded in any way. Just leave the games be and create new worlds that we can also learn to appreciate and love as well! If I want to revisit those nostalgic worlds I can already do it whenever I want.

This prediction..... You're tying up events and giving a relationship between them without definitive proof..... You're trying too hard man.

There's a limit to everything and I believe you're taking this a step too far man. Even though it does look like it from your perspective, in the end it doesn't really make much sense overall.

Just back off and relax. No need to be obsessed over this. I love Final Fantasy X as much as the next guy but not to the extent that I will devote a lot of my thinking to conjure up a baffling theory that another sequel will happen so soon because in the end, you'll just get burned with all these guesses.

Get your mind off of FFX for a bit..... As weird as that sounds, get into other games for now. Balance yourself and all mumbo jumbo stuff. Let it come to you rather than you go to it. Don't reply saying you can't or you don't want to, you can keep that to yourself.

Read my final paragraph:

In conclusion, I personally can not wait to see Motomu Toriyama and Yoshinori Kitase's new title. I have been waiting for this since April 2014. I personally like every single game Toriyama has ever directed or written and the same can be said for every single game Kitase has worked on that I've played. Even if their title turns out to not be Final Fantasy X-3 and is instead a new IP or even Parasite Eve 4 I will have no issue with it at all. I am excited for their new title whatever it is. Toriyama is my favourite director while Kitase is my favourite producer. Please be excited, I know I am.

 

[Sora96]

In regards to FFX/X-2, I could argue that the PS4 port is happening because the PS3 version came out during a time when console software sales were on a decline. So it's not so much because of FFX-3 but to maximize sales.

I could also argue that there is concern that the Final Fantasy fanbase hasn't quite shown up on next generation consoles yet. So before releasing the big gun, FFXV, they're going to release smaller cheap stuff first that they can produce quickly in order to establish that user base. This is probably less of a concern now though.

Another thing I could argue is that the reason why we're seeing all these HD ports from last generation is because it takes too long to make AAA games now. So the purpose of these ports are to prevent droughts and to make sure customers don't ever have that sense of one. In addition, making sure Square Enix has something to sell every year is the reason why Eidos was acquired. The HD era has reduced the company's output.



Mobius Final Fantasy is a big project for mobile platforms that is being handled by Business Division 1. The concept of the game is to make a home console experience for mobile devices. The team behind the game does not consider it to be a spin-off but a full entry in the series. They have veterans who have worked on main numbered Final Fantasy titles working on it.

Yes, you have good points but Mobius is somehow coming out very soon after announcement.

 

[Flash Over]

I've been saying this for the longest time, too. It's happening. If not, while I don't think any of the XIII games are fantastic by any means, they were fun and I have no issue playing them multiple times. I look forward to their next project, regardless!

Yuna is dating another summoner

She isn't actually seeing anyone. She needs to keep her distance from Tidus, because Kurgum is going to be performing a lot of sendings. Tidus can't be around a sending or he'll disappear again. Yuna may also be using Kurugum's feelings toward her to turn him into a fayth.

Maybe there was japanese demand and the western were just silence

This, XIII was actually really well-received in Japan, It was the western audience that bashed it.

 

[Daemeax]

I really hope that this is not happening. Don't get me wrong, I love FFX, it was one of my first Final Fantasies I ever played. I liked X-2, too (although it was now as awesome as X was). But that's it. We have perfect game, then we have not so perfect sequel, which finishes the story and close it (although I would like X more without it). And suddenly,

Spoiler

Tidus dies, then he is reborn, so is Sin and Yuna is breaking up with him for whatever reason

. What the hell is that? Basically, everything we fought for all those hours is lost. I would be alright with prequels, like Jechts story or story about war between Zanarkand and Bevelle. But no X-3, please.

 

[Sora96]

I really hope that this is not happening. Don't get me wrong, I love FFX, it was one of my first Final Fantasies I ever played. I liked X-2, too (although it was now as awesome as X was). But that's it. We have perfect game, then we have not so perfect sequel, which finishes the story and close it (although I would like X more without it). And suddenly,

Spoiler

Tidus dies, then he is reborn, so is Sin and Yuna is breaking up with him for whatever reason

. What the hell is that? Basically, everything we fought for all those hours is lost. I would be alright with prequels, like Jechts story or story about war between Zanarkand and Bevelle. But no X-3, please.

I've got no idea what Nojima was thinking.

Yeah, the war between Zanarkand and Bevelle would be pretty sick. I think a movie like Advent Children fits that bill though, Kazuyuki Ikumori the director of Visual Works said he'd like to make an FFX movie though, so maybe. Get Toriyama, Kitase & Watanabe on board and it'll be a reality.

 

[Squirrel Emperor]

Read my final paragraph:

In conclusion, I personally can not wait to see Motomu Toriyama and Yoshinori Kitase's new title. I have been waiting for this since April 2014. I personally like every single game Toriyama has ever directed or written and the same can be said for every single game Kitase has worked on that I've played. Even if their title turns out to not be Final Fantasy X-3 and is instead a new IP or even Parasite Eve 4 I will have no issue with it at all. I am excited for their new title whatever it is. Toriyama is my favourite director while Kitase is my favourite producer. Please be excited, I know I am.

I dunno man. Not sure if I really buy it. Time will tell I guess. I read your posts and one thing that sticks out to me is that you like to brush mobile gaming aside when speculating what Toriyama's next project is. You seem to treat it as a non-factor and not really take the platform seriously. Why else would you ignore the fact that Business Division 1 is working on a big project for mobile devices? Cause it would weaken some of your other points of course.

For all we know, this mysterious project Toriyama is working is another big mobile project. Has anyone considered that to be a possibility?

 

[Sora96]

I dunno man. Not sure if I really buy it. Time will tell I guess. I read your posts and one thing that sticks out to me is that you like to brush mobile gaming aside when speculating what Toriyama's next project is. You seem to treat it as a non-factor and not really take the platform seriously. Why else would you ignore the fact that Business Division 1 is working on a big project for mobile devices? Cause it would weaken some of your other points of course.

For all we know, this mysterious project Toriyama is working is another big mobile project. Has anyone considered that to be a possibility?

Oh I do consider mobile game seriously, I'm more excited for Mobius than say Bravely Second.

I just think it's weird to have Toriyama, Kitase, Abe, Watanabe, Matsuoka, Hamauzu, Itahana & Matsuda just working on mobile projects. I mean these are some of the biggest names in Final Fantasy and even Kingdom Hearts history.

Fact stands, president clearly said a JRPG for home consoles is going to be revealed around E3. And the only major division I see without a home console game is division 1 and they're set to reveal a title.

 

[Squirrel Emperor]

That JRPG Matsuda was talking about could be the western announcement for Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness. Can't take everything you read too literally after all.

Also...

I don't think it's weird. There is a very important anniversary coming up in less then 2 years.

Yeah... Forgot about that one didn't you?

Why would they want to spend the time working on Final Fantasy X-3 when Final Fantasy VII is a bigger deal by a long shot?

We're talking about a game that revolutionized the RPG genre and had a similar impact like Super Mario 64 did back in the day.

A game that catapulted SquareSoft, now SquareEnix, to stardom and made them who they are today.

A big reason why the PlayStation 1 was so successful and why the PlayStation brand is still going strong to this very day.

What kind of great impact did Final Fantasy X have? Besides the addition of voice acting, nothing. If you can think of anything significant, chances are that it can all be traced back and be thanked by Final Fantasy VII, the root of it all.

Final Fantasy VII is a big deal and the chances of something substantial happening are pretty good I would think. I'm betting it won't be your typical Square Enix anniversary product.

So if they do something for Final Fantasy VII's anniversary (Final Fantasy VII-2, remake, EC, FC, GC, movie, prequel, spin-off etc), I imagine that it would have a big team behind it.

It would also partially explain why we haven't quite heard of that "big project" yet too.

 

[Sora96]

That JRPG Matsuda was talking about could be the western announcement for Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness. Can't take everything you read too literally after all.

Also...

I don't think it's weird. There is a very important anniversary coming up in less then 2 years.

Yeah... Forgot about that one didn't you?

Why would they want to spend the time working on Final Fantasy X-3 when Final Fantasy VII is a bigger deal by a long shot?

We're talking about a game that revolutionized the RPG genre and had a similar impact like Super Mario 64 did back in the day.

A game that catapulted SquareSoft, now SquareEnix, to stardom and made them who they are today.

A big reason why the PlayStation 1 was so successful and why the PlayStation brand is still going strong to this very day.

What kind of great impact did Final Fantasy X have? Besides the addition of voice acting, nothing. If you can think of anything significant, chances are that it can all be traced back and be thanked by Final Fantasy VII, the root of it all.

Final Fantasy VII is a big deal and the chances of something substantial happening are pretty good I would think. I'm betting it won't be your typical Square Enix anniversary product.

So if they do something for Final Fantasy VII's anniversary (Final Fantasy VII-2, remake, EC, FC, GC, movie, prequel, spin-off etc), I imagine that it would have a big team behind it.

It would also partially explain why we haven't quite heard of that "big project" yet too.

So you think Toriyama is directing something related to Final Fantasy VII?