Final Fantasy XV Release Date & Top Game Snippets (Photos)

Almost nine years in the making -- that's action role-playing video game "Final Fantasy XV" for you. If rumors are to be believed, the 15th instalment in the Final Fantasy series will finally be released in early 2015.

Development of "Final Fantasy XV" started before its official launch during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) trade fair in May 2006 at Los Angeles, California, recalls the Game Informer.

The video game, with the characters, concept and base story designed by Tetsuya Nomura, is being developed by a team from Square Enix. Tetsuya led the group until 2014 but he has since left and the project is now being directed by Hajime Tabata, Nomura's co-director since 2013, chronicles the Game Informer.

The game's original title was "Final Fantasy Versus XIII." Square Enix announced then that they're creating the game for PlayStation 3.

When the next generation consoles, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, were presented to Square Enix in 2011, the company decided internally to rename "Final Fantasy Versus XIII" to "Final Fantasy XV."

In June 2013, Square Enix decided to switch console platforms from PlayStation 3 to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Long Development Process

The games' rather unusually long development process and absence from the public eye even stirred rumors of its possible cancellation or shift to another platform.

Since its unveiling, "Final Fantasy XV" has been on and off the gaming community radar. Fans were either wondering what its current status is or has simply grown tired waiting for it, points out the Christian Post.

Excitement over "Final Fantasy XV" started picking up again during the Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2014 held in September. Hajime Tabata announced that "the game is roughly 50 to 60 percent complete while the demo is 80% complete," the Christian Post reports.

That's in addition to providing a lengthy new trailer and new details on when gamers can finally get their hands on the game, observes Games Radar.

Tabata shared his insights on the FF XV upcoming demo: "I think in general the play time is about an hour, that's if you use the car to get around. You'll get the opportunity to drive around, in which case you can expect the demo to last for three to four hours. Should you elect to walk, that will further extend your time with the demo."

"You can also play for additional challenges. For example, in order to get a strong weapon, you can venture into the dungeon that has monsters stronger than the ones above ground," Tabata said in the interview.

Gameplay

While it is the latest installment in the Final Fantasy series, "Final Fantasy XV" has no connection or direct relation at all to the early editions of the video game.

The game features an open-world environment similar to modern-day earth set in a darker atmosphere but with more realistic human characters.

The main character of "Final Fantasy XV" is Noctis Lucis Caelum, the crown prince of a mafia-like royal family, which protects the last remaining crystal in the world. The garrison state of Niflheim is the main enemy of the kingdom of Lucis, details the Facebook page of Square Enix.

The game begins with a truce between Lucis and Niflheim, ending the cold war which has ravaged on over possession of the world's crystals. On the day when a treaty is to be signed between the two states, Niflheim invades Lucis and takes the kingom's crystal.

Noctis and some of his friends escaped the attack on Lucis and they now mount a resistance to retrieve the kingdom's crystal while attempting to defeat Niflheim's forces, Square Enix explains in its Facebook page.

And as can be seen from the trailer, the game features action-based battle system which allow players to switch weapons and take control of vehicles during battle.

Top Snippets

In addition to a lengthy trailer released during the TGS 2014 in September, Square Enix also showed a quick run-through of the FF XV gameplay demo, reports iDigital Times.

The eight-minute gameplay demo showed top game snippets that fans have all been waiting to see for almost the longest time.

"Those hoping to see a combat-heavy demo may be a bit disappointed with the gameplay demo. But anyone who would just like (to see) some proof that real progress is being made on FF XV, should be happy to know that a playable build of Final Fantasy XV was actually shown to the general public," cites iDigital Times.

Check out the "Final Fantasy XV" gameplay demo presented by Square Enix in the TGS 2014:

Watch the "Final Fantasy XV" trailer for PS 4 also released during the TGS 2014:

See awesome stills below.