Final Fantasy XIII localisation sped up

PS3 News | Could be here sooner rather than later.

Final Fantasy XIII producer Yoshinori Kitase has told Videogamer that Square Enix are hoping to release the European version of the game within a year of its Japanese release.

It is usual with Final Fantasy titles that European audiences are faced with lengthy delays between the Japanese release and the eventual PAL release. US audiences usually wait around six months following the Japanese release, with another several months passing before the PAL release. With the Japanese release set for late this year, the game could potentially be released in PAL territories in 2010 instead of 2011.

Kitase says that this time around, the process has been streamlined.

“For example we have already started recording English voices, and also the text localisation has been in progress, too," he said. "Normally we complete the Japanese version first, then move on to the US and EU versions, but this time there are some tasks that are happening simultaneously. So this time we're hoping to release sooner than a year later than the Japanese release.”

With the sneakily marketed Final Fantasy XIII demo recently causing some excitement, this is definitely great news for Final Fantasy fans, not to mention PAL gamers sick of lengthy localisation delays.

Related Final Fantasy XIII Content

Final Fantasy XIII Review
15 Mar, 2010 Lucky thirteen?

Vote for Australia's Biggest Final Fantasy Fan
08 Mar, 2010 Fulfilling fantasy.

Final Fantasy XIII: Georgia Van Cuylenburg Interview
08 Mar, 2010 We have a fun chat with one of the game's Australian voice actresses.

PagePrevious 12

37 Comments

dloiscute

3 years ago

I dont think people realise that even if the PS3 is region free, the game still needs to be correctly converted to PAL broadcast standards. Otherwise, if they just gave the US version to us, people with older TV's will not run the 60hz or (sometimes) colour issues.

Either way because that doesn't effect me, I say import US all the way!

Charly

3 years ago

fatpizza wrote

Charly wrote

^ This is where I worry though. I have been getting sick of waiting and importing RPGs from the US only to find that PAL regions get additional features. GRRRRRR

I'll import and end up buying a PAL one two, I just know it. I'm thinking I'll end up with the US PS3 and PAL 360 versions.

But previous consoles that had FF games did not have online functionality so any differences can easily be remedied with a patch. Personally I don't think there will be anything to worry about.

What? 'Can' and 'Will' are very different.

Wouldn't that mean I would need US accounts for Live/PSN anyway?

Benza

3 years ago

barrett wrote

simultaneous worldwide release is a concept clearly beyond them.

Simultaneous worldwide release is a concept that's still beyond 90% of video game companies

ittekimasu

3 years ago

I'm just going to bloody import from Japan and see if i can trick a student to read it in english and class it as tutoring.

Ciel

3 years ago

the-magicbox.com wrote

the-magicbox.com">Square Enix producer Yoshinori Kitase revealed some tidbits of the Final Fantasy series in an interview with IGN:

- Final Fantasy XIII will have no black warriors and mages due to its sci-fi universe.

- The Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII will not have Japanese voice option due to disc space limitation.

- Square Enix has no plan to release Final Fantasy V & VI on Nintendo DS, but he thinks it would be an interesting idea.

- Square Enix has no immediate plan to release Dissidia: Final Fantasy on another console, partly because the most attractive features of the game is ad-hoc.

- Although the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII has ended, but they came up with many small ideas from the FFVII games, so there's a possiblity there will be more FFVII games in future

admeister

3 years ago

Ciel wrote

- The Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII will not have Japanese voice option due to disc space limitation.

Well, there goes a chunk of MS's sales...

Anyway, US PS3 import for me too, as long as the gap between the Japanese and US releases isn't too big. Otherwise I might get tempted...

LeonJ

3 years ago

admeister wrote

Ciel wrote

- The Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII will not have Japanese voice option due to disc space limitation.

Well, there goes a chunk of MS's sales...

Anyway, US PS3 import for me too, as long as the gap between the Japanese and US releases isn't too big. Otherwise I might get tempted...

Agreed. Fail M$.

US PS3 copy all the way baby, sweet sweet Japanese voices.

Itachi

3 years ago

Yeah not having japanese voices is Fail IMO USA version for me. Just need to find a usa online shop that has the special edition.

Charly

3 years ago

admeister wrote

Ciel wrote

- The Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII will not have Japanese voice option due to disc space limitation.

Well, there goes a chunk of MS's sales...

A very, very small chunk. Gamers like me, you, LeonJ and Itachi aren't what pay the bills.

Cyph

3 years ago

Ciel wrote

the-magicbox.com wrote

the-magicbox.com">- The Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII will not have Japanese voice option due to disc space limitation.

My brother lately has been playing with the idea of picking up a PS3 due to it being region free. And it's features like that, and games like FF XIII and other exclusive features that are slowly starting to tip the scale in its favour. There are many reason to love the 360, and I still love mine, but having to buy components extra that the PS3 comes with, the PS3 having BluRay, the fact that I don't really play Xbox Live that much any more, well... it's starting to lose its shine. Anyway, the purpose of this comment, although I can imagine the 360 version not having Japanese voices being a major sale point for some gamers, HOPEFULLY Square-Enix can do decent English voiceovers. Failing that, maybe there will be a 360 release with Jap voiceovers but English subtitles; I can live with that.

LeonJ

3 years ago

^ By the time the FFXIII comes out in the US the PS3 probably will have had a price drop. Just get it then.

I can't see the 360 ever having Japanese voices.

admeister

3 years ago

Charly wrote

admeister wrote

Ciel wrote

- The Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII will not have Japanese voice option due to disc space limitation.

Well, there goes a chunk of MS's sales...

A very, very small chunk. Gamers like me, you, LeonJ and Itachi aren't what pay the bills.

Still, it doesn't take much to tip the scales of a multiplatform game's sales. If one version has something the other doesn't, people will start to look at that version as the superior one. It's a relatively minor thing of course, but more and more fans have been demanding that Japanese voices be included in games these days, and they're getting their way.

Charly

3 years ago

I just think that the number of gamers that want Japanese voices is so insignificant as a subset of potential FFXIII purchasers.

I hardly think it will affect PAL 360 vs. PS3 sales. The gamers that really want Japanese voices and more than likely the people that will be importing from the US anyway.

PagePrevious 12

View as forum topic

Add Comment