Final Fantasy XII's Japanese release delayed

TOKYO--Square Enix announced today that Final Fantasy XII will be delayed from its originally scheduled summer 2004 launch in Japan. Gamers across the Pacific will now have to wait until sometime between winter 2004 and spring 2005, the new time period in which Square Enix is aiming to release the title.

"We have decided to change the release period in order to improve the quality of Final Fantasy XII so that it will be able to satisfy the needs of our customers even more," commented Square Enix in a press release.

While the news will come as blow to Japanese gamers awaiting Final Fantasy XII, it will likely have little effect on the game's American release date, which is sometime next year. For more on Final Fantasy XII, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.