News

Final Fantasy XV is, predictably, now on the way to Windows PCs worldwide early in 2018. The release was announced today at Gamescom in Germany, and without a specific release date; however, the game is looking to be an upgrade in various visual and aural ways, leveraging NVIDIA GameWorks technology:

• 4K textures, scalable up to 8K in config
• Enhanced fluid, fire, and smoke effects
• Enhanced hair and fur effects
• Dynamic shadows on models
• Better grass and foliage animation
• HDR lighting and improved environmental lighting

The PC version will also have the capability to put Noctis into first-person mode, as well, both in and out of battle.

For some reason, it will have the subtitle "Windows Edition" applied when released on Steam next year. It's going to take a serious, serious rig to max this game out, so start your building plans now.

Source: Siliconera

The worldwide port of the Japanese arcade Dissidia has been officially announced for release in Square Enix' three main territories as of today. Japan, Europe, and North America will all see the game in January of 2018, with the former seeing the game on January 11 and the latter two getting it on January 30. As is typical for major Squenix releases these days, there will be several bundle tiers available for purchase.

While they vary somewhat from region to region, they fall into pretty standard categories. The Ultimate edition will be available only from Square Enix directly, and will include a Steelbook, an art book, a figurine, soundtrack, the Season Pass, et cetera. There will also be versions that have a randomzied Steelbook case, featuring one of three designs each with a different set of Dissidia fighters. The digital copies available will offer up a free alternate skin for Warrior of Light, a mini-soundtrack in digital format, and the Season Pass (in the higher tier of digital purchase). In Europe, the digital packages appear to contain a code to get Cloud's Nail Bat and a PS4 dashboard theme.

I'm still not in the closed beta. Anyone else get word that they got in?

Source: Gematsu

Gematsu reports this morning that a closed beta for Dissidia NT, the home console version of the Japanese arcade entry to the fighting game series, will get a closed beta on PlayStation 4 for both North American and European users later this month. Specifically, noon Eastern on August 26 through noon again on September 4.

Featuring a limited lineup of fourteen characters - the lead characters of each game, generally - the beta will feature three-on-three battles in some selection of the game's battle arenas, and will also contain at least some of the final game's summon lineup.

This is going to be a closed beta, of course. Some folks should be receiving a code to get in already, it appears, though the criteria for getting one of the instant-in codes is naturally not public. There is a lottery to try to get a code, though, if you don't have one - all you need is a Square Enix account. I entered the lottery myself just a few minutes ago, and you can do the same at the links below.

In other news, it was also announced that Jecht, coming soon to the arcade version, will be part of the console release package on day one of next year's release.

Source: Gematsu, NA Beta Signup, EU Beta Signup

In Tokyo this weekend, Square Enix held a Dragon Quest Summer Festival. Sounds like a pretty good time, I suppose, but there were some new releases announced for the DQ series that are the focus of this particular post.

First, the new: a sequel to Dragon Quest Builders is already in development. There's no release window yet, but there is some gameplay footage early on. Some of the big enhancements over the first game already announced include the ability to build three times higher and deeper than in the original, swimming ability, a hang-glider feature to safely descend from high spots, and four-person multiplayer. The storyline appears to include the big bad from Dragon Quest II in some way, which makes sense as the original game takes place in the world of the first Dragon Quest, albeit on an alternate timeline from canon.

Speaking of Dragon Quest II, though, it's one of three games (including the first and third) now scheduled for release on digital distribution for the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation 4 in Japan. I and II will be released on August 10, and III will follow before the end of August. No idea which versions of the games will be released, as in Japan they were released for Famicom, Super Famicom, and Game Boy Color in quick succession, and also no idea whether we'll get them in the US either.

Source: Gematsu

That must be a relief, right? You're not getting it this year, but there's only a twelve-month window for them to target in 2018! In seriousness, though, that's the news out of the Disney D23 expo today, and it's not bad news for a game that's been in development for over a decade. The big news, though, was another new trailer, debuting a new Disney world within the Kingdom Hearts Universe. For the first time, it's Pixar entering with the world of Toy Story, and it looks fantastic; the new trailer features Sora, Goofy and Donald finding themselves in new toy garb, transported somehow into Andy's room. After beating up a group of Heartless, the team makes friends with Woody, Buzz, and more to make an adventure in miniature to Galaxy Toys.

The new trailer is very gameplay-heavy, and shows Sora taking control of a toy mech for some FPS action. Check out the five-minute-plus dump of new content below!

You may recall a almost a year ago when the Final Fantasy Trading Card Game was released outside of Japan, or, you might not. It would be easy because there hasn't been much hoopla around it, at least that I've seen, and I've been looking from time to time. I even have my Lightning starter deck, which is pretty neat but I don't think I'll ever be using it, as I've never been much of a player of games like TCGs.

But, if you are, or know someone who is, it might be the time to start practicing, because today Square Enix announced the first-ever wide-scale competition for North American players, the "Opus Series North American Championship 2017." The tournament will be in Los Angeles, September 16 and 17, at the Hilton Los Angeles Airport.

Registration started about two hours ago at the time I post this, and if you're serious about wanting to give it a try, you should jump on the opportunity - registration is limited to only 200 for all of North America. The entrance fee to the event is $40, and gets you in the door and gets you a little bit of rare FFTCG swag. No spectator seats are available, though the second day of the tournament will be livestreamed on Twitch and YouTube.

The prizes are significant, with trips to Japan for five days on the docket for the top four players, including entry to the world championships. The overall winner will also get a PS4 Pro, second place a PS4 Slim, Apple TVs for the semifinalists, and trophies for all of the top eight. Not a bad potential payoff if you can register to get in and get yourself to LA!

Source: Final Fantasy Trading Card Game Official Site