Forspoken has been highly anticipated by gamers with its magical elements and intriguing premise. Unfortunately, the game has faced several delays, and it is now slated for a January 2023 release. It could be a potentially big year for Square Enix, as 2023 also has Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth on the calendar.
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Forspoken’s Connection to Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy 15 is a game that had a difficult development period marred with difficulties from start to finish. Development began in 2006, and the game was initially intended to be a spin-off titled Final Fantasy Versus 13. As the project’s scale grew, it eventually became a mainline Final Fantasy entry titled Final Fantasy 15. Although developers originally aimed to release the game on PS3, enough time passed that it eventually became necessary for them to set their sights on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Furthermore, development was passed from a team led by Tetsuya Nomura to one led by Hajime Tabata, and the game was also shifted to the Luminous Engine.
Final Fantasy 15 was finally released in 2016, with the reception mixed among fans of the franchise. While some praised its cast of characters and the way it depicted a road trip with friends, others pointed out how FF15’s open world feels dead and unpopulated. Many employees who worked on the game went on to form a new studio within Square Enix. This studio, called Luminous Productions, was originally led by Tabata, but the current head is Yosuke Matsuda.
Forspoken will be Luminous Production’s first project, and gamers have already pointed out similarities between the game and Final Fantasy 15. If Forspoken can emulate Final Fantasy’s best parts, this is a good sign for the studio. However, it appears that the upcoming game will also be bringing plenty of new elements to the forefront, including its magical parkour traversal method. Due to the connection between the two games, it would be a fun wink to gamers if a few Final Fantasy Easter eggs made it into Forspoken.
How Forspoken Could Incorporate Final Fantasy Easter Eggs
As Final Fantasy and Forspoken are in the same genre, the latter game will still want to establish a unique identity for itself. Consequently, it should not lean too heavily into its connection to Final Fantasy. However, a few Easter eggs would be a pleasant addition for fans of the franchise. This could be done, for instance, by including Final Fantasy-related outfits that could be unlocked in New Game+ and worn by Frey, or by including collectibles that subtly reference Final Fantasy without breaking immersion or confusing players who aren’t familiar with the franchise. In addition to giving gamers an incentive to explore Forspoken’s world, it would also be a great reward to players who have been loyal to Square Enix’s franchises.
There is still plenty of mystery shrouding Forspoken, and gamers know very little about the Tantas terrorizing Athia. It has also yet to be revealed how and why Frey has been transported to this magical land, and what role she plays in the epic events unfolding. After many delays, it appears that the answers will finally come in early 2023.
Forspoken is scheduled to release on January 24, 2022, on PC and PS5.
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