Current Development Status Of FFXIII?

[Kuja Las Vegas]

Just because they've announced the release date as December 17th, 2009 in Japan doesn't necessarily mean the game is 100% complete, or that development work has ceased on it. It could mean that the game is around 95% complete. I don't doubt that Square will continuing working on this game until close to the end. I saw on this one Square guy's satirical blog how he spoke of someone who was programming the final boss battle in a previous FF game like the day before release or something (although he may have been exaggerating).

I suspect the game is very close to being finished, but not quite so. Those (few) of you who work in the software development world (games are software) might recall that testing and quality assurance are needed after development has finished, to hammer out bugs and glitches in the software. So I suspect a lot of testing and QA will take place during the next one or one and a half months.

Although, logistically speaking, they would have to start printing copies of the game around the end of November in order to meet the demand for the Japanese release (I estimate two to five million sold the first week in Japan alone, because FF is like their religion over there).

Regardless of what the actual development timetable is, or if there is any way to confirm it status, I'm just relieved that after waiting a long time for this game, it's close to release, even if only in Japan.

As an allegory, New Line Cinema announced Return Of The King would be seen in theatres in December, but Peter Jackson was still creating CGI orc armies and having "pick-up" reshoots with his cast throughout the Fall. In fact, I heard he was in the "cutting room" floor up to the Eleventh hour, and didn't actually even get to watch his entire movie in its theatrical release form, until the premiere.

[Moklin]

Its oficially confirmed that FFXIII is 90% done. There was a broshure saying that in TGS2009.

btw, Heavy Rain is 50% done.

[Cruxis]

/Thread.

That was fast.

[Tiger Lily]

Yeah, I'm sure the game itself is pretty much done. SE's probably just going thru the de-bugging process right noe.

However, I think that estimate for the number of games sold 1st week may be a little off. Surprisingly, Dragon Quest is a much popular title than FF in Japan & it's visa-versa for NA & EU. They'll probably sell 600,000+ units its 1st week. But...since the game is being released during Christmas, the figures may be around 800,000 to 1mil.

In any case, I just hope SE stays true to their word of an overseas spring release date.

[entrydenied]

The game's probably done with only testing left. But I doubt they'll sell 2mil. Current PS3 lifetime sales is around 3 plus mil in Japan. So I think 1 million's would be quite an over estimation already.

[Falsate]

It's likely they are at the last bits of crunching in QA Testers and welding all the major parts of production together. If I do recall, the PS3 bundle site on SQEX JP said "Now Printing".

Whatever that means..

[liberty_kingdom]

It means they're busy putting the game onto the blu-ray discs.

[Kuja Las Vegas]

It means they're busy putting the game onto the blu-ray discs.

What are they going to do for the next two months then? Why not release it on October 30th?

I suspect rather, the PS3 with the pink Lightning logo emblazoned is being manufactured, but the actual game itself will not be manufactured until closer to the release date.

[Reapers_Curse]

What are they going to do for the next two months then? Why not release it on October 30th?

I suspect rather, the PS3 with the pink Lightning logo emblazoned is being manufactured, but the actual game itself will not be manufactured until closer to the release date.

Generally it takes months to produce enough copies of a game for a release of a popular title, they can't just work on it till the day before release and magically have enough copies to distribute

[Noctisu]

90% means that the game needs some polishing!

I mean the graphics, they look great but they need some polishing you know ;D

[Falsate]

Now get the Slim bundle going. That means the production of the Pink PS3's and the PS3 Slim Box Art too.

My guess is they are just having some of the testers go through it one more time and at the sametime they are producing the artwork for Box Cover/Cases (including the Slim Box).

[Daisuki]

On the Japanese SE Store the words "NOW PRINTING" are displayed in the box art. I assume that FFXIII is 100% complete and already distributed to blu-ray printers with manuals, strategity guides and promotional materials being created now as we speak, because;

- Otherwise "IN DEVELOPMENT" would be displayed in stead of "NOW PRINTING"
- They only print a game when it's 100% isn't it?
- In the past (around announcing the FFACC Demo) they said that blu-ray discs takes 3 months to print a batch of games.

"Blu-ray takes 3 months to print" If FFXIII would be released in May 2010 it needs to be finished at least in January 2010. Nearly impossible.

[Cruxis]

The game isn't finished yet. That advert is either wrong, or it means they're printing the boxes.

The game hasn't gone gold yet.

[Reapers_Curse]

On the Japanese SE Store the words "NOW PRINTING" are displayed in the box art. I assume that FFXIII is 100% complete and already distributed to blu-ray printers with manuals, strategity guides and promotional materials being created now as we speak, because;

- Otherwise "IN DEVELOPMENT" would be displayed in stead of "NOW PRINTING"
- They only print a game when it's 100% isn't it?
- In the past (around announcing the FFACC Demo) they said that blu-ray discs takes 3 months to print a batch of games.

"Blu-ray takes 3 months to print" If FFXIII would be released in May 2010 it needs to be finished at least in January 2010. Nearly impossible.

You're forgetting they already started the English voices and such, if they keep the changes to a minimum it shouldn't be a problem, atleast that's what I would of said if the 360 port isn't going to slow them down...

[Daisuki]

I never forget, but if you say "it will be released in March/April 2010" you will ultimately think it's true. When they announce a June 2010 release date then, you're very dissapointed. At GC they said the JP release date would be much sooner than everyone thinks, but for me it was reversed.

And didn't someone say he/she had heard from a SE dev that the FFXIII EU date would be announced shortly after the Sep. 8 event?

[Reapers_Curse]

I never forget, but if you say "it will be released in March/April 2010" you will ultimately think it's true. When they announce a June 2010 release date then, you're very dissapointed. At GC they said the JP release date would be much sooner than everyone thinks, but for me it was reversed.

And didn't someone say he/she had heard from a SE dev that the FFXIII EU date would be announced shortly after the Sep. 8 event?

SE has been lying alot lately, taking after MS I guess

[Dark Slayer]

Wow I'm glad to here this!!! i saw the first trailer when I was in first year high school. Now here I am almost gonna graduate high school. Its almost like I wasted my whole high school life waiting for this game. Lucky younger generations

[CHINGLEE42]

SE has been lying alot lately, taking after MS I guess

MS do lie but so do Sony as well as other game developers YouTube - Sony's Embarrassing E3 2006 Press Conference

[Falsate]

If it takes 3 months to print Blu-ray and we go by what you're thinking (Jihl), then you're saying the English version would be pretty much done by late December/January?