the release of The new role-playing game from Square Enix is an event for the industry. His ten years of chaotic development have shaped its history, as explained by its director.
This is the story of a role-playing game that starts out as a road movie between friends, on board of a convertible. One of them is a prince. While their car breaks down, her kingdom is attacked. This is the start of the Final Fantasy XV (FFXV), a role-playing game expected in the last ten years, and that finally comes out officially on Tuesday November 29 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
For the director, to the lesser known Hajime Tabata, it is the time of the last tour, a last stand to promote what has become, as, his game. It is he who has been born again as a project destined to never get out, carried it at arm’s length through a development of colossal, to finally give its final shape to be daunting.
The man side projects
At Square Enix, this lover of strategy games to the Civilization was until then a director of the securities to minors. Mainly episodes portable derivatives designed for the fans, as the very nostalgic Crisis Core : Final Fantasy VII on PlayStation Portable. It is also responsible for Final Fantasy Type-0, an experimental game mixing action and role-playing game, but the budget much lower. the ” It is true that this time, it was something very different, ” should be-it humbly.
It took him to start from very far away when he took over what remains of the ” Final Fantasy Versus XIII “, the original title of Final Fantasy XV. Announced in 2006 by the publisher Square Enix, which was to be originally a non-series dark and megalomaniac of Final Fantasy XIII falls over the years in ” development hell “, this Bermuda triangle of video-game projects poorly managed, which, for reasons sometimes technical or managerial, and end up by never see the day.
In 2012, the noise leaking that Versus XIII the cursed is cancelled ; a year later, Square Enix announced his resurrection, under the name of Final Fantasy XV. The project is gargantuan, a true field of internal battle, a challenge that Hajime Tabata has led to its term. Was he more motivated than others ? He believed to have the resources and ideas that would give life to a major episode ? He can’t say no.
Each episode offers a universe of characters, of different systems. The Final Fantasy have become projects, which have the reputation of kneeling down those who do. the ” In fact, I cannot remember the other competitors in my revival project Versus XIII “, he says, thoughtfully. In the meantime, the PlayStation 3 on which it had been thought has given way to the PlayStation 4, a console is more powerful. the ” The perfect opportunity to start on good bases “, does he want to persuade.
Rewrite of the project
For nearly four years, he mobilized all the resources at its disposal to give birth to this project. the ” I think my strength is trying to get the best out of all the people involved in the project “, a team he has recomposed himself. Tetsuya Nomura, the previous director, has been ruled out of the project, its name is rarely associated with this Final Fantasy as to avoid hurting the egos. Hajime Tabata has added a theme in tune with the times, the hike and the ride, and invented another dynamic that inpire happy games western as The Witcher.
original ideas of Versus XIII, it does not remain large-thing, if not the universe and this band of four characters created by Tetsuya Nomura. the ” We have been listening to what we were saying to the fans. The expectations are so large, we didn’t want to disappoint anyone. In addition, each has a little of his FF favorite, so it is a little complicated. ” But when we asked him if he had been able to go to the end of his ideas, he was able to impose his vision, he responds with a ” yes ” overwhelming.
Under his baton, the communication ultra-locked Versus XIII gives way to many live presentations, and pompously baptized ” Active Time Report “, and events for the fans. Under his influence, polls in support, it also calls the public to know what he wanted to see in this episode rendered of odds and ends. in Versus XIII was a failure in japan, Final Fantasy XV has established itself as a resurrection of the world.
The pressure of a global release
For the first time in nearly three decades, a ” FF ” is released simultaneously in the world. It is doubled not only in japanese but also in English, German and French, not to mention the many sub-titles in Spanish, Russian… And as many stopovers around the world to Hajime Tabata, the promotional campaign has sent to the four corners of the world.
” in the Past, the release of a new Final Fantasy was an event purely japanese, and it is true that the Japanese felt a little dispossessed, is it. in The series has become so globalized that it has had to adapt, as in our great international press conference in Los Angeles last march “, for example, when the output of the game and his cohort of derivatives had been announced. However, it does not seem to be concerned about the issues. Square Enix wants to sell 10 million copies around the world. Smiling, Hajime Tabata remains poised under pressure.
He became the captain of a large set. Cartoons, movie… This is the first time that derivatives come before the game itself. the ” of course, I did not realize everything that is connected to FFXV but I oversee everything “, ” he said firmly. The development of the game will not stop to its release, Tabata has yet to work on the many patches of optimization and different downloadable content. The fatigue is palpable for this guy who, from interviews to ” events “, gives of his person as never had any other director of the series before him.
The end of a trip
” My only regret, what are the delays, especially the latter. “Announced with great fanfare in September, FFXV has been delayed one last time, two months. the ” Too many people play without having to connect their console, therefore, impossible to rely on a patch to fix the bugs “, is justified there. Death in the soul, he proclaims it himself in a video and heart-rending fans, where a japanese editor would have confined itself to a terse statement. The fear of disappointing the fans, a leitmotif, and show himself worthy of the legacy of the series is palpable.
Since then, all the world is worried about the health of Tabata. the ” I do interviews not, I play FIFA “,, he joked to reassure. When asked if he is the “good soldier” that Square Enix has been designated to complete a project infinissable, he laughed heartily and replied : ” No, I don’t think this idea would work well on me. I’d rather the last samurai “, guffaws-t-it. Since, everyone is concerned for the health of Tabata. He became the leader and know. the ” according to the result of FFXV, I’m going to try to push more projects minors who might not be a chance otherwise. Personally, I attaquerais well in another topic, but of a more modest size. “
Difficult to know if Final Fantasy XV and road movie that starts with a broken down car is going to seduce the players. One of the many advertisements japanese is illustrated by a picture of hiking. The text says : ” The theme of FFXV is the journey. Then we went on a trip. “With Tabata at the helm of a ship without direction, the journey of this project for ten years, him, touches finally at its end.
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