Square Enix confirms that the recently announced enhanced port ofFinal Fantasy 9will be localized outside of Japan, at least when it comes to the Steam version.
Last week, Square Enix announced anenhanced portofFinal Fantasy 9, a title that stands as one of the most critically acclaimed games in theFinal Fantasyseries, for PC and mobile devices. At the time, the game was only confirmed for release in Japan, but Square Enix has since confirmed thatFinal Fantasy 9is coming to western territories as well.
Right now, only the Steam version ofFinal Fantasy 9is confirmed for release outside of Japan. A concrete release date has not been set just yet, but it’s said to be launching in “early 2016”, so expectFF9to be available on PCs within the next few months.
The localization of the enhanced port ofFinal Fantasy 9is good news, as it is one of the most celebrated JRPGs ever developed. While it may have been overshadowed in the PlayStation era byFinal Fantasy 7,FF9is nevertheless considered a classic by many fans of the series, and this re-release will give those that missed it the first time around a chance to see what all the fuss is about.
Those that are already well-acquainted with Zidane’s adventure will also have a few new reasons to return. This enhanced port boasts HD visuals, Steam achievements, Steam trading cards, auto-saving to make it less frustrating, and even some cheats, including one that makes it possible toskip the random encounters inFinal Fantasy 9. These features really make it possible for players to experienceFinal Fantasy 9however they wish, whether that’s just indulging in the story or playing through the game traditionally.
The aforementioned features make it seem as though this enhanced port ofFinal Fantasy 9will be the definitive way to experience the game. Because of this, it would be a shame if Square Enix deprived non-PC gamers of playing the best version ofFinal Fantasy 9. That being said, there should be nothing to worry about, as it’s very likely that the mobile versions of the game will also be localized.
It’s also a distinct possibility thatFinal Fantasy 9will land on the PlayStation 4 as well. Square Enix released theenhanced port ofFinal Fantasy 7on the PS4, so there’s little to no reason why the same treatment wouldn’t be done forFF9.Of course, the enhanced port ofFinal Fantasy 8still has yet to hit the PlayStation Store, so PS4 gamers may be waiting a long time to get their hands onFF9. In any case, if it sells well on PC, it will likely be ported to as many systems as possible, and perhaps if this enhanced port drums up enough interest, we may even see a completeFF9remake in the vein of theFinal Fantasy 7remake.
Final Fantasy 9is slated for release on PC later this year, and in the case of Japan, mobile devices as well.
