Back in 2012 Hajime Tabata became the director of Final Fantasy XV and his first decision was to look at the current state of the brand. Tabata said in a new interview that the franchise was considered a "dying IP that had already peaked."
"The gravest situation of all was that, at the time we were starting Final Fantasy XV, we didn't see an increase in new fans of the franchise," he says in the latest issue of Game Informer.
"The reality is not that the situation is okay or in favour of us. Rather, it is more grave and serious than we had initially thought," he added. "The way we understood Final Fantasy after our analysis is that it was a dying IP that had already peaked."
Tabata still believes that Final Fantasy fans still back the brand and want to see it continue.
"One thing I've felt from fans is that they are disappointed in the current state of Final Fantasy, but still have hope in terms of where the brand could go," he explained.
Tabata went on to say that there are three "core" qualities that he believes define the Final Fantasy brand. As described by Game Informer, these are:
• "A willingness to challenge the status quo"
• "An exceptional, out-of-the-ordinary experience"
• "Cutting-edge technology to use the hardware to the fullest"
According to Tabata the last Final Fantasy game to achieve these standards was VII. He also believes that XV will be a success.
"Any Final Fantasy released after [Final Fantasy VII] lacks in one or the other," he explained. "But what Final Fantasy fans desire is a new entry that encompasses all of these elements, and that is our objective with Final Fantasy XV."
Final Fantasy XV is set to be released in September 2016 for PS4 and Xbox One. Nothing has been announced for a PC version yet but it’s still possible.
