CoN 25th Anniversary: 1997-2022
Big Shakeups at Square Enix' Luminous Productions

Posted: 3rd December 2018 16:50

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I'm behind in posting this news, of course, but it worked out for the best because just today the consequences of the original news came to light. Last month, long-time Square Enix bigshot (and, most recently, head of the Luminous Productions studio) Hajime Tabata announced that he was leaving the company, after nearly fifteen years working on Square Enix projects. Today, Square Enix announced that Takesi Aramaki will be the new head of Luminous. Aramaki was the programming lead for Final Fantasy XV.

Simultaneous to Tabata's announcement, Square Enix confirmed that all planned Final Fantasy XV DLC after Episode Ardyn was cancelled; the three episodes that took the axe were likely the most eagerly-awaited, being for Lunafreya, Aranea, and Noctis. Episode Ardyn will continue development and be released in early 2019.

Meanwhile, Luminous Productions appears to have shifted gears before the cancellations were announced, with a LinkedIn post by the graphics director of Final Fantasy XV implying that he is currently working on a "New AAA Title for PS5." That post has been edited to remove that reference now, but we might look back on this as the first inkling that the Final Fantasy series will continue.

As for Tabata, he was apparently waiting for the announcement of Aramaki as new Luminous head to announce his own new initiative: today he posted to Facebook that he is starting his own company called JP Games, with the company's official launch planned for January of 2019. Naturally, no further information is available.

One hopes that this does not indicate a real mess over at the Squenix mothership, but this level of transition does seem at least a little ominous.

Source: Siliconera, Gematsu
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Posted: 30th December 2018 18:52

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I look forward to seeing what JP Games comes up with. It could be interesting. Same with Luminous Productions. FF XV had a tumultuous history so perhaps a fresh start with clear focus could lead both Tokoro and Tabata to creating some excellent games in the future.

As for the cancellation of the FF XV DLC, maybe it was for the best. Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute I spent with XV, and I would have played all the newer DLC when they released, but I think Square put too many irons in the fire with this game, and hopefully they learned their lesson.

I mean, they created an anime spinoff, a mobile game, a FF XV "pocket version", a sidescroller action game (which I did enjoy playing by the way) plus four DLC components, one of which was an online cooperative game, and on top of all that, they were planning more DLC? Does anyone else think this is way overboard? I mean, surely all of these ventures were expensive, and in the end, they would up losing money on this game big time.

I don't know what Square has planned for the future of FF, but I hope they realize that less is more. And with all of that said, I DID enjoy FF XV despite its flaws.

This post has been edited by Bahamut_Zero on 30th December 2018 19:00
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Posted: 15th January 2019 18:18

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Can't wait to see what happens as well! Hoping to get an RPG that embodies everything the old style FF was. Either way I'm down for whats new. Man Ive been coming to this site for years! and I just now registered lol wth
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Posted: 15th January 2019 18:25

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First place in the CoN Euro Cup soccer competition, 2016. Voted for all the fanart in the CoNvent Calendar 2015. Voted for all the fanart in the CoNvent Calendar 2014. Third place in the CoN World Cup fantasy game for 2014. 
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Quote (NinjaViet86 @ 15th January 2019 12:18)
Man Ive been coming to this site for years! and I just now registered lol wth

Yeah, seriously, dude. wink.gif

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