Square Enix lays out early '08 schedule

FF CC: Ring of Fate, FFVII: Crisis Core dated for March 11, 25; Dragon Quest Swords on February 26, The World Ends With You in spring.

Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core has been a long time coming for PlayStation Portable owners. Square Enix parted the curtain on the FFVII spin-off prequel in 2004, but the game has thus far only seen the light of day in Japan, where it launched in proximity with Sony's redesigned portable in September. North American fans wringing their hands over whether they'll get a chance to jump into this installment in the massively popular franchise need no longer fret; Square Enix has laid out its North American release lineup for the first part of 2008, with Crisis Core included.

FFVII: Crisis Core will hit North American shores on March 25. The game is part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series, and focuses on the pursuits of a young Cloud Strife before the Buster Sword-wielding hero meets his destiny in the original PlayStation game. Square Enix also confirmed a North American ship date for Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates, which will arrive for the Nintendo DS on March 11.

The Japanese role-playing game giant won't be neglecting its Dragon Quest crowd in 2008, either. Though the game was initially slated to follow shortly after its Japanese release in July, Square Enix has confirmed Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors for release on the Wii on February 26.

Finally, the publisher announced that The World Ends With You will officially be coming stateside in spring 2008 for the DS. Previously flying the far cheerier moniker It's a Wonderful World, The World Ends With You is an action RPG from the team behind Square's superfranchise Kingdom Hearts, and is heavily influenced by Japan's hypertrendy culture.

202 Comments

  • latejake

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 2:03 pm PT

    iI am afraid too say final fantasy crisis core is crap.Played it got the t-shirt.
    It is an action roleplaying.
    Doesn't give you enough time in choosing what you to do too.
    You be struggling with the left or right trigger button.One minute you think that you choose the right thing only you used the item instead of action too hit with your sword or when you want a item.
    You guess it magic and then you die.
    It too linear for my liking that all i got too say at the moment.
    they tried too hard.graphics are great that about it really.
    i might get slaughtered on what i said.

    Tell me that i not right.when you play ok.

  • cloud8100

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 2:53 pm PT

    Can't wait for this game. I gonna be occupied for ages what with this game and crisis core! Been waiting ages.

  • Flaming_Spoon

    Posted Feb 22, 2008 11:13 am PT

    I can't wait!!!

  • RockMax

    Posted Feb 15, 2008 7:12 am PT

    If you want to get technical, "homophobia" means fear of all men. But in todays culture was adapted to be, fear of homosexuals. And if GameSpot doesn't give this game a perfect score it's not the end of the world. Millions of people are waiting for this game and I doubt any review would spoil that. Plus everyone knows it's an incredible game from the Japanese reviews and from people who imported it. I'm not worried, however will induce a medical coma till March 24th.

  • milkpudding

    Posted Feb 2, 2008 9:46 pm PT

    sweeeeet... after 4 ys, it's finally here.

  • IHeartCloud

    Posted Jan 30, 2008 7:11 pm PT

    OK Chico, did you know Homophobe means someones afraid of gays. So if gs doesn't give FFVIICC 9.6 they are afraid of gay people. Right... I wish I could go into a 2 month coma so this game'd be out when I woke up.

  • justin315

    Posted Jan 27, 2008 5:43 am PT

    next week will be feb already!, crisis core is getting near!

  • BelmontV

    Posted Jan 12, 2008 2:05 pm PT

    Great news! I alredy reserved my copy of "Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core" I just can't wait!! Also "The World Ends With You" sounds like an interesting game, but I'll only purchase it if it's part of the "Kingdom Hearts" storyline saga (like "Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories" was for the GameBoy Advance, it was like the missing bridge storyline between "Kindgom Hearts" and "Kingdom Hearts 2").

    But if it has nothing to do with the storyline, I probably won't buy it since the graphics of the DS don't really interest me, then again, who knows?
    Still, "FFVII: Crisis Core" is going to be on the top list of best games of 2008, I just know it!

  • Artemios

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 10:03 am PT

    I just can't wait until FFVII comes out for the PSP!! Wait...when is FFXIII coming out for the PS3?! They didn't mention it!!! OMG please don't tell me it has been postponed even more!!

  • chico12

    Posted Jan 3, 2008 11:15 am PT

    i forgot to say. i have the jap CCFFVII. i can tell you its the best game for psp i have seen, followed by MGS P opp. if this website doesnt give it a 9.6 or something they are homophoves, and you know what homophobia leads to

  • chico12

    Posted Jan 3, 2008 11:08 am PT

    i just hope in my heart that they make a CCFFVII vertion psp. ill buy it again but i dont wanna get the jap one and get riped. BTW the FFVII remake should be a super top secret project right now because they have FFXIII on the way and its not maket friendly for that to be anouncig FFVII remake. guys i dont know if they are making it now or just for theps3 and as i know SE they probably will only make it for ps3 becuase their games are innmence, ccff uses almost all the capacity of the umd even more then metal gear P ops, so im guessing they will need blue ray for FFVII cuz 5 dvds for xbox 360 doesnt sound right. so keep talking about the ramake and guys buy a ps3 and ffXIII, they need to see more ps3s out there in order to sell ffVII cuz even though that game will make ps3 #1 they also would not wanna gamble much. my advice, wait for the announcement by the time XIII comes, unles they say something in 2008, ohh and if you see the remake of FFVII before 2010 consider yourself lucky

  • Deathofamortal

    Posted Jan 2, 2008 12:12 am PT

    Geez Square. Thanks for some Xbox 360 or PS3 love.

  • burnttoastman06

    Posted Dec 30, 2007 9:12 pm PT

    I guess I better buy a PSP...

  • LPH79

    Posted Dec 30, 2007 12:00 pm PT

    Okay... there is a lot of north American realise date...but what about European realise dates for these games?

  • charlie_bm

    Posted Dec 27, 2007 9:14 am PT

    Great news, but what about Final Fantasy Tactics A2??

  • IP_Yamiko

    Posted Dec 23, 2007 10:03 am PT

    D-MMIT! I just- bought it overseas like three weeks ago! (seriously, I was under the impression that it wasn't going to be released at all due to DoC's lack of popularity) *sigh* oh well...

  • swyg

    Posted Dec 21, 2007 8:13 pm PT

    SE may do a lot of spin-offs, but at least they're successful with the majority of them and they are very fun games regardless. I'll agree that DoC and some of the other mobile spin-offs of FF7 were bad, but Advent Children was great. It didn't stay true to the story, but as a sci-fi film it was awesome. I guess it depends on how you look at it. Forget that it's a movie with "Final Fantasy" in the title and enjoy the highly entertaining fight scenes and music.

    After seeing what Crisis Core has to offer on youtube, I guarantee that this game will make heads spin. In a good way.

  • nate1222

    Posted Dec 21, 2007 7:16 pm PT

    As long as FFCC:RoF isn't another whack ass title like the GC one they dumped on us.

  • nrohacz09

    Posted Dec 21, 2007 4:20 pm PT

    Definitely getting crisis core

  • robowarriorx

    Posted Dec 20, 2007 6:09 pm PT

    Hmmm....all these harsh words about the remake being on a portable and how crappy that would be...Well, here's the truth- Handhelds are king in Japan. With the decline of the yen, not everyone has the disposable income needed to drop on a PS3, and most people are so much busier than we are here that they need some sort of a portable solution for their gaming. They have to go where the money is, and a game that big would be catered to the Japanese market first, so it would stand to reason that the big stuff will go to what people buy. And what do they buy the most? The DS, PSP, and cellphones. Would I like to see an awesome FF7 remake on the PS3? Sure, why not? It could be cool, and Square really loves to remake it's classics. It would be awesome, and I'm sure it would move a ton of units in North America. WIll we see something like that anytime soon? Well, I doubt it, and looking at this whole FF13 debacle, it seems pretty unlikely.....And, I would just like to point out that before you think they would go and do something stupid like release one of the biggest titles they had on a handheld only, look at Dragon Quest 9, now exclusive to the DS. And yes, DQ isn't that huge in America, but it has a bigger following than FF does in Japan. If you don't believe me, do a little research. Anyway, we all want to see our favorites look as bad-asstical as possible, but if you were a true fan, wouldn't you be happy to keep playing and see the story no matter what system it was on?

  • mingfu

    Posted Dec 20, 2007 2:04 pm PT

    CRISIS CORE RULEZZZZZ

  • indyano

    Posted Dec 20, 2007 10:24 am PT

    Finally the reason why I bought a PSP is coming out on March.

  • edhc44

    Posted Dec 20, 2007 5:05 am PT

    I had almost forgotten the reason why I once wanted a PSP so badly. Well, time to start saving up money again...

    For those dreaming of a FFVII remake on a supposedly PSP2: That would be sooo stupid it makes me wanna cry. If they were to realise a FFVII remake (and the guys on SE themselves don't seem to have made up their minds on that matter yet), they'd have to unleash it in the most powerful hardware there is. I don't like the PS3, but it would actually make me buy one without thinking twice. FFVII is one of the most if not the most important RPG in the history of gaming (I'm sorry "older-school" RPG fans, but it single-handed brought J-RPG to the mainstream in the west), if a remake were to be made for a portable system (especially for one that doesn't even exist), it would only cause people to ask "why isn't it on a home platform?". Great games that flew under most people radars like Star Ocean can do fine with a remake on a portable system, but when something is as big as FFVII is, not realising it on the most powerful hardware you can wouldn't fully use its potential.

  • sssb

    Posted Dec 20, 2007 3:46 am PT

    at last SE announce FFVII: Crisis Core date

  • buffdaddy69

    Posted Dec 19, 2007 10:21 pm PT

    fntsycloud @obiKKa

    They are so NOT going to release a FF7 remake on a 'new generation' PSP, they haven't even started making plans for a 'PSP 2' - it it comes out at all it will be on the PS3, remember the tech demo? Anyway, it's about GD time this game gets announced for the US, I've been aching to know more about the relationships between Cloud Zack and Sephiroth

    You learns plenty about it in FF7. All of this entries for FF7 is just Square Enix's was of milking it for money. Dirge was a great story, crappy gameplay. Im not going to play a game on a phone(Before Crisis) This game is amazing because i got the japenese version for my PSP. but other then that, i really wont support any more FF7 spinoffs or a remake...Just leave the classics alone.

  • lightwarrior179

    Posted Dec 19, 2007 7:29 pm PT

    This is a perfect date for the release of Crisis Core. I am sure the game will hit the mark unlike the other disappointing additions to FFVII.

  • Testament

    Posted Dec 19, 2007 6:28 pm PT

    Voice acting is just as important as graphical makeover. I hope i'm not dissapointed in the new voice over in FF7 crisis core, because castlevainia X was a HUGE F**KIN dissapointment when it came to voice acting!!!!!!

  • nieuwuss

    Posted Dec 19, 2007 10:34 am PT

    yeah me too, guess we have to wait a little longer.... but when will it be released in europe??? hope it will be in march too, or else its **** up

  • fntsycloud

    Posted Dec 19, 2007 8:27 am PT

    @obiKKa

    They are so NOT going to release a FF7 remake on a 'new generation' PSP, they haven't even started making plans for a 'PSP 2' - it it comes out at all it will be on the PS3, remember the tech demo? Anyway, it's about GD time this game gets announced for the US, I've been aching to know more about the relationships between Cloud Zack and Sephiroth.

  • ObiKKa

    Posted Dec 19, 2007 6:08 am PT

    gevans1989 SAID:
    "who cares about FFVII BC the original fans of 7 the ones that have been with it since 97 dont want another **** spin off like DC or AC thay suck all we want is FFVII with better graphics nothing more, no stupid voice overs no new locations no new stories just a FINAL FANTASY REMAKE FOR GOD SAKE IS IT SO HARD TO DO!!!!!!!! final fantasy has gone to **** since Enix joined, 10.2 **** AC **** DC **** just give the real fans the original fans what thay want and stuff the new ones"

    Dude, be patient. I think they're gonna release THAT remake on the PSP 2. The original PS1 version comes on 3 or 4 CDs, which amounts up to a maximum of 2.1-2.8GB's worth of data space. The PSP's UMD has a max. capacity of 1.8GB, and by looking at the recent history of Square's remakes on the portable consoles they do obviously like to add in new CGI movies, and probably enhanced gameplay graphics, which only adds up massive amounts of new storage space.

    Do the maths.

  • bin-hiding

    Posted Dec 19, 2007 5:58 am PT

    all sounds good so far... lets hope no more delays come into play... i want to play Crisis Core already

  • trace5019

    Posted Dec 19, 2007 1:50 am PT

    sweet my birthday is on march 11 i am sooo gonna get both games

  • Bartiemuss

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 11:52 pm PT

    When will they anounce is a realse date for FF13?

  • matrixman2k

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 7:53 pm PT

    gevans1989 SAID:
    who cares about FFVII BC the original fans of 7 the ones that have been with it since 97 dont want another **** spin off like DC or AC thay suck all we want is FFVII with better graphics nothing more, no stupid voice overs no new locations no new stories just a FINAL FANTASY REMAKE FOR GOD SAKE IS IT SO HARD TO DO!!!!!!!! final fantasy has gone to **** since Enix joined, 10.2 **** AC **** DC **** just give the real fans the original fans what thay want and stuff the new ones
    =======================================================

    Well...., I'm not in total agreement with you but some of the points are valid.

    Still, I think if a remake (of FF7) were to grace upon the face of the Earth, it should have all the fireworks/special effects and the like, oh, and in HD plus voices (a modern standard upgrade if you like) while still retaining the unique story line etc. that made the original so memorable and great even flawless. They must at least bring it up to todays standard.

    But knowing SquareEnix, it probably won't happen. You see i recently completed Dawn of Mana (PS2) and it wasn't anywhere near expectation. I mean, I would have been more than happy if they did a remake of the Secret of Mana (SNES), in several places they did rise my hopes only to be disappointed... It did say "see you next game" - so i'm hoping they'd stop and spend the effort/cash on something like i explained.

  • kansas17171

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 5:04 pm PT

    crisis core release date hits me like a bag o' hammers to loins... in a good way

  • IoOmega

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 4:12 pm PT

    I seriously doubt that the Crisis Core PSP will be released over here usually when they make special edition products for japan they keep it that way.

  • V-Nine

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 3:57 pm PT

    Not arriving soon enough.

  • Link_Destined_1

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 3:57 pm PT

    MAJOR ERROR: Crisis Core focuses on Zack, not Cloud.

  • mastodonfatguy

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 3:45 pm PT

    its about time... i know im gettin this.. i just kinda wish the battle system was the same as the original ff7... but this will still be a great game. i predict at least a 9 / 10

  • Gaming-Fanatic

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 3:14 pm PT

    Finally a release date, I just hope it doesn't turn out to be like Dirge of Cerberus.

  • fmobliv06

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 3:04 pm PT

    Crisis Core and Crystal Chronicles out in the same month? not to mention that God of War: COO should be coming out around then too. what a busy month March will be.

  • The1BigBoss posted Dec 18, 2007 2:59 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    The1BigBoss

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 2:59 pm PT (hide)

    And they are still milking FFVII.....

  • Jebril

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 2:53 pm PT

    Crisis Core looks as it can be amazing, but Square has to do it properly and ACTUALLY bother to tie it in with the story. Not like Dirge Of Cerberus which felt like it had nothing to do with the FFVII story line.

  • dr_jashugan

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 2:08 pm PT

    Keeping an eye on Crisis Core.

  • kemar7856

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 1:32 pm PT

    finally a english date 2 bad I played it in jap already

  • Beesond

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 12:26 pm PT

    Man I hope the special edition FFVII PSP come out in NA, min ebroke so I have to buy another one anyways.

    I wouldn't doubt it, they know that game is gonna sell some PSP units, so they will hopefully have some of ht special edition ones, but they will probabley be very limited. Guess I just have to keep my eye on the news and make sure to reserve one in case they do pop up here.

  • The_Warhammer

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 11:53 am PT

    Well that's great to hear but I was hoping to buy that special FFVII PSP system with Crisis Core, but i guess il just have to buy Crisis Core only.

  • X-RS

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 11:49 am PT

    i love the art in square enix's games but i wish they made something a little more fast paced than turn based rpg's.

  • GreenGoblin2099 posted Dec 18, 2007 10:46 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    GreenGoblin2099

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 10:46 am PT (hide)

    Let's see... Advent Children sucked, DoC sucked. My money is that CC will also suck. Anyway, on more important matters, what about the previously announced KH games????

  • SaitouZero

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 10:20 am PT

    No mention of Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is kind of surprising. Also absent are Final Fantasy IV and Dragon Quest IV. I hope we won't have to wait too long for these.

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