PS3 owners hoping to get their hands on Final Fantasy XIV next March will be disappointed by Square Enix’s decision to postpone its release. The company has not provided a new date, saying it will only release the game when it is satisfied with it.
In a statement posted on the game’s official website, Square Enix president and CEO Yoichi Wada says: “We deeply regret that the game has yet to achieve the level of enjoyability that Final Fantasy fans have come to expect from the franchise, and for this we offer our sincerest of apologies."
He goes on to explain that following a swathe of negative criticism since the game launched on PC in September, the publisher has decided on a change of leadership and a restructured team. To that end producer Hiromichi Tanaka has stood down and been replaced by Naoki Yoshida, who joined the company in 2004 and has overseen production of several tactical RPGs.
Wada describes Yoshida as “a passionate individual for whom customer satisfaction has always taken top priority, one of our Group’s most accomplished and experienced members, and a charismatic leader possessing the skill to bring together and effectively helm a team which encompasses a wide range of responsibilities.”
Regarding the delay, Wada says: “It is not our wish to release a simple conversion of the Windows version in its current state, but rather an update that includes all the improvements we have planned.”
Yoshida explains that the game’s free trial period is to be extended “until we can provide a plan that outlines a level of enjoyment that will satisfy both us and our customers.
“Now, more than ever, myself, the development team, and Square Enix as a whole are committed to furthering our efforts to provide a quality service.
“Everything we do will be for our players and customers.”