PlayOnline? Not With
Final Fantasy X
 November 23rd, 2000 - Square recently
announced that Final Fantasy X, the first Final Fantasy to hit the PlayStation 2, will not be supporting any
online features using Square's up-and-coming broadband online gaming network, PlayOnline.
At the Square Millennium conference in Tokyo back in January of this year, Square showed Final Fantasy X and XI for the
first time to the public. In the conference, it was revealed that Final Fantasy X would feature the ability to hook up with
the PlayOnline network to access hints and tips if a player was stuck, while Final Fantasy XI would be going all out online.
During the brief showing, guests were shown running footage of a player in Final Fantasy X accessing help through a
very impressive front-end while actually playing the game. It was even suggested that players would be able to
upload and download functions that would effect gameplay in some way.
|
|
|
Guests at the Square Millennium Conference were treated to
footage of Final Fantasy X...
|
...where the player was seen to be accessing PlayOnline for help, such as the above map. Not anymore.
|
All this seems to have been dropped, however, if the announcement on a Japanese news service is anything to go by.
Mainichi Interactive reported that the final version of Final Fantasy X will not include any online capabilities in any
shape or form. In doing this, the launch of the PlayOnline network has of course been delayed, with Square only
beginning internal tests in March of next year and the service eventually being available in Japan by Winter 2001.
Reason for this seem clear: Japan, or the rest of the world for that matter, is not ready for a broadband network the likes
of which Square were planning with PlayOnline. Either that or Square themselves haven't the technology to cope with the
expected demand that a online-capable Final Fantasy X would bring.
Interestingly, Square also commented that they would be researching the possibility of porting their software to the
new wave of super-consoles: "We will make efforts in gathering information surrounding the next-generation gaming consoles other than the Sony PlayStation 2 and take necessary actions accordingly."
Final Fantasy X is pencilled in for a Spring 2001 release in Japan, with North America following on near the end of 2001. Europe? Who knows...
if Final Fantasy IX is anything to go by, Final Fantasy X might not see the light of day in the U.K. et al until 2002. But don't
quote us on that.
Article by Rob for Final Fantasy: Worlds Apart.
| 
