True Fantasy Live Online gets the axe

  • By Staff, GameSpot
  • Posted Jun 2, 2004 10:38 pm PT

Microsoft Japan and Level 5 halt development of their massively multiplayer online role-playing game for the Xbox.

Microsoft Japan today announced the cancellation of True Fantasy Live Online, the promising massively multiplayer role-playing game for the Xbox that was first unveiled in 2002. The game was being developed by veteran developer Level 5, whose recent work has included the Dark Cloud franchise for the PlayStation 2.

In a press release issued this morning in Japan, Microsoft stated that the cancellation was due to the lack of progress in development. Citing the game's inability to deliver a level of quality satisfactory to consumers, Microsoft opted to cancel the project, which had been slated for a winter release this year in Japan.

When contacted for comment, a representative from Microsoft in the US issued the following statement: "The difficult decision to cancel True Fantasy Live Online was based on a number of careful considerations, including the game's progression to date and the remaining development time needed to complete such an ambitious project. The MMORPG genre, across all platforms, has become an incredibly crowded and competitive marketplace. In response, Microsoft Game Studios has decided to streamline its portfolio, making fewer bets in this genre."

Added the representative, "At Microsoft Game Studios, we continually evaluate our portfolio strategy and investments to ensure we are achieving our most important objectives of creating successful, platform-driving titles in a timely manner. We truly appreciate all the support True Fantasy Live Online has received from its fans and the games community."

For his part, Level 5 president Akihiro Hino said (via press release): "True Fantasy Live Online was being developed as the ultimate MMORPG on the Xbox Live, but we couldn't foresee the game to offer innovative new experiences to our users. With extreme regret, we have decided to cancel its development."

6 Comments

  • gamer1

    Posted Feb 28, 2007 10:53 pm PT

    If only it would come out for the 360...

  • Gauphastus

    Posted Feb 15, 2007 7:15 pm PT

    I now retract my statement about PSU being able to fill the void...

  • Gauphastus

    Posted Jun 30, 2006 6:04 pm PT

    Phantasy Star Universe -might- be able to fill some small portion of the void this game left behind...
    ...but I still want it. It looked all cartoony and stuff, full costuming, heavy character customization, proximity voice chat, voice filters, voice macros, and a bunch of other stuff that would be damn excellent for a budding roleplayer.
    Augh.

    Dumb.

  • MikeS_72

    Posted May 16, 2006 5:59 pm PT

    Ya bring it back with those same Graphics maybe a bit better but with the same concept. THOSE GRAPHICS OWN ALL

  • macebrotha

    Posted May 15, 2006 7:52 pm PT

    Bring It Back! Bring It Back! Xbox 360 has the power... you know you waaaaant it!

  • Nafda

    Posted Mar 1, 2006 3:44 am PT

    This is exactly why 360 and X-Box tank in Japan.

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