Literally all of it! There’s so much, it had to be sent over in separate parts. And it’s all worth looking forward to!
If you weren’t watching the Level 1 Scrubs podcast Thursday night where we covered the latest news from Square Enix, then that’s totally okay. Allow me to fill you in.
Square Enix unveiled a massive explosion of Final Fantasy XV announcements at the Uncovered: Final Fantasy event earlier this week in Los Angeles — and there’s an official release date now! Mark your calendars as Final Fantasy XV will be released worldwide on September 30th on PS4 and XBox One. (A PC release date is yet to be determined but keep your chin up, PC gamers.)
The special editions have been confirmed as well:
Day One Edition – $59.99
- FINAL FANTASY series Masamune DLC weapon
- Xbox Store Pre-order Incentives: Two Xbox One Avatars including Noctis Special Outfit and Carbuncle pet
- PlayStation®Store Pre-order Incentives: Dynamic PS4™ theme for PlayStation®4 players
Deluxe Edition – $89.99
- All Day One Edition content plus an exclusive dual disc steelbook containing FINAL FANTASY XV and KINGSGLAIVE movie Blu-ray, Platinum Leviathan Regalia design, snd access to the Royal Raiment costume DLC
Ultimate Collector’s Edition (Available exclusively on the Square Enix Online Store) – $269.99
- All Deluxe Edition content plus exclusive disc steelbooks containing the official FINAL FANTASY XV Blu-ray Soundtrack (featuring music from FINAL FANTASY XV, KINGSGLAIVE and BROTHERHOOD), BROTHERHOOD Blu-ray (containing an exclusive sixth episode), hard-cover artbook, an exclusive limited-edition variant Noctis PLAY ARTS -KAI- action figure, and in-game item packs
I think many of us can say that we are looking forward to a true Final Fantasy experience. When I tried the demo back in September at PAX Prime, it brought me back to those good old times, that familiar feeling, that excitement I would get exploring the open world within the FF universe. It was a true feeling of adventure and this game has been a long time coming.
But along with this, a waterfall of other upcoming content will be released as confirmed by Square Enix, and frankly, the internet as a whole to compliment the impending game launch. Which includes…
The last movie to come out from the brilliant minds of Final Fantasy was Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children back in 2005. Advent Children’s co-director Takeshi Nozue returns to direct Square Enix’s and Sony Pictures new CG film, Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV.
I don’t know if you’ve seen the trailer yet, guys. Whether you have or haven’t, I urge you to check it out. The mix of old world and new modern life looks completely amazing.
So you’re probably wondering how you can get your hands (and eyeballs) on this work of art. Square Enix and Sony Pictures has announced that they will be releasing Kingsglaive via digital means, with the movie release expected to be during the summer before the game launch.
But what is Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV about? From what Square Enix has confirmed, the film will feature vocal talent from Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), and Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings), and features a story that weaves together the complexities of kingdoms at war, relationships with royals, and gorgeously amazing battles — all of which will set the stage for Final Fantasy XV’s tale.
It doesn’t stop there though. #CantStopWontStop
Please, Square Enix. I can only handle so much.
But as someone who is quite choosy when it comes to anime, I really enjoyed the first episode of this and I’m looking forward to more.
That’s right! Square Enix has already released the first episode of Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV on YouTube, but if you want the TL;DR version of the anime series, a trailer has also been released for the series as well. There will be five standalone episodes that detail the ties between crown prince Noctis and his three friends, all of which will be subsequently release prior to the release of the game. And the best part? They’re completely free.
But wait. There’s more.
For those who can’t wait and want to experience a bit of Final Fantasy XV goodness will be happy to know that Square Enix has made a downloadable demo available on the PlayStation Store and Xbox One, known as the “Platinum Demo”. Made completely free, this demo is completely exclusive and unique in that the storyline included in this particular demo will not be included in the final game, as confirmed by Square Enix.
This demo focuses on the imaginative dreamscape experienced by Noctis as a child, where players can take control of the young protagonist as he masters various weapons, magic skills and driving. The dreamworld is rife with monsters, and the young Noctis will have the magical and mystical Carbuncle as his guide through this adventure.
Players who download and complete the demo will have this exclusive Carbuncle DLC included in the final game at launch! Now that’s awesome.
If the movie’s vocal talent didn’t impress you, then hopefully this will. Florence Welch of well-known band Florence + the Machine has made her own rendition of the Ben E. King classic “Stand by Me” with Square Enix — which will be included in the soundtrack for Final Fantasy XV.
Florence Welch commented:
“I’ve always seen FINAL FANTASY as mythical, beautiful and epic. ‘Stand by Me’ is one of the greatest songs probably of all time and you can’t really improve on it, you just have to make it your own. For me it was just about bringing the song into the world of Florence and the Machine and the world of FINAL FANTASY.”
You can hear the song in the new “Reclaim Your Throne” trailer — yes, brand new! — on YouTube.
To end off, Square Enix had one last bit of interesting news to announce…
You can bring a bit of Final Fantasy XV to your mobile device now with Justice Monsters Five! Combining role-playing elements with some of the franchise’s most iconic monsters, the game will also be available to play in-game in Final Fantasy XV as well at game launch! Fans can expect the pinball game to release soon on Android and iOS so keep your eyes out.
Android: https://prelaunch.me/android/NDU4
iOS: https://prelaunch.me/ios/NDU5
After all is said and done, I’m hoping Final Fantasy XV will not disappoint. Let me know your thoughts and what you’re excited most about Final Fantasy XV in the comments below!
Kate Rhiannon is a Contributing Editor-at-Large and Graphics Artist for AYBOnline.com, and a producer for the Level 1 Scrubs podcast. Her opinions are her own. Feel free to follow her on Twitter and Facebook, where she posts updates about her creative projects!
