Next Final Fantasy MMO due soon?

[JunseiKei]

Considering Yoshida has voiced 'aiming for 10 years,' I find it highly unlikely unless the game's engine (Crystal Tools) leads to issues that can't be rectified. Other LLPs have stated they are looking to do a graphical update for XIV, but it's not slated for 5.0 - they may plan to implement other changes along with the graphics (who knows). Seems like an awful lot of work planned in the future if they're just going to release another MMO that will ultimately compete with themselves.

[HyoMinPark]

I find it highly unlikely unless the game's engine (Crystal Tools) leads to issues that can't be rectified.

Slight clarification, but I think only 1.0 ran on the Crystal Tools engine. I’m fairly certain 2.0 (and beyond) runs on a new engine, because Crystal Tools was one of the myriad of reasons 1.0 failed (i.e., attempting to create an MMO with an engine that was designed for single-player games). 2.0 itself is still built upon 1.0 code, because ARR used it as framework, but the engine it uses is different. At least, that’s what I have read/heard.

As for graphical updates, I would love to see this, but I doubt it will be any time soon.

[JunseiKei]

Slight clarification, but I think only 1.0 ran on the Crystal Tools engine. I’m fairly certain 2.0 (and beyond) runs on a new engine, because Crystal Tools was one of the myriad of reasons 1.0 failed (i.e., attempting to create an MMO with an engine that was designed for single-player games). 2.0 itself is still built upon 1.0 code, because ARR used it as framework, but the engine it uses is different. At least, that’s what I have read/heard.

Ah, you're right. Digging deeper, ARR uses a .. "scaled down branch" of Luminous Engine. Really annoying when you throw in FFXIV and engine together, you get just Crystal Tools.

[HyoMinPark]

Ah, you're right. Digging deeper, ARR uses a .. "scaled down branch" of Luminous Engine. Really annoying when you throw in FFXIV and engine together, you get just Crystal Tools.

In all fairness, considering the backlash surrounding 1.0 and its design, it probably makes sense that the two are paired together in a general sense. ^^

[Ilyrian]

I wonder if given the chance they would even make a new MMO.
Blizzard canned theirs and Titan became Overwatch.
I get a feeling that SE's profits come from mobile cash grabs and publishing rather than having to dump a ton of resources, time and investment into this game.
Given the almost universal failure rate of MMOs in general I wonder if it would be worth their time?

[KisaiTenshi]

There was some survey feedback a while back about what kind of games players would be interested in, and there was some leading questions about final fantasy mmo's and microtransactions, thus players of FFXIV essentially put two and two together that they were looking for feedback on what kind of game players would willingly pay through the nose for.

In all honesty, if SE releases another FF game with mobile game style microtransactions, I'm just going to nope-out. I've noped-out of all their mobile titles. Artificially limiting game play with a microtransaction P2W mechanic is just greedy, and proves there is no compelling gameplay. It's just a contest to how much money you're willing to spend on a game that might not even survive the next hardware refresh.

[Jonnycbad]

FFXI was in the works since 1999 was released in 2003.

FFXIV started development in 2005 and was released in 2012.

For a 2020 release of a new MMO, it would have to have been in the works, as game development for current gen takes far longer than it did in the early 2000's.

Considering how large of a scale MMO creation goes into, and how FFXIV is still exorbitantly profitable, I doubt they would spend resources developing a new MMO on the same scale as XI and XIV without pulling resources and talent away from XIV. They'd need a whole other team of developers with MMO experience to make the new game and again SE's most experienced and talented MMO devs are currently working under YoshiP on FFXIV. SE's most experienced and talented MMO producer is Yoshi and he's wholeheartedly devoted to XIV. There's very few people SE could hire to work on the new MMO that have the experienced required to get it off the ground, so it's risky without pulling resources.

[Enkidoh]

FFXI was in the works since 1999 was released in 2003.

FFXIV started development in 2005 and was released in 2012.

For a 2020 release of a new MMO, it would have to have been in the works, as game development for current gen takes far longer than it did in the early 2000's.

Considering how large of a scale MMO creation goes into, and how FFXIV is still exorbitantly profitable, I doubt they would spend resources developing a new MMO on the same scale as XI and XIV without pulling resources and talent away from XIV. They'd need a whole other team of developers with MMO experience to make the new game and again SE's most experienced and talented MMO devs are currently working under YoshiP on FFXIV. SE's most experienced and talented MMO producer is Yoshi and he's wholeheartedly devoted to XIV. There's very few people SE could hire to work on the new MMO that have the experienced required to get it off the ground, so it's risky without pulling resources

If I could maybe offer a slight correction Johnny, your launch dates for both games are incorrect: FFXI was actually released in Japan only in 2002, the US release was in 2003, with Europe finally getting it in 2004. FFXIV 1.0 was released in 2010 and was shut down in 2012, with ARR's development starting not long after Yoshi took over from Tanaka as producer in late 2010/early 2011.

But I agree with the rest of what you stated, Yoshi is pretty much the only man for the job for any hypothetical FF MMO, and because he already has his hands full with FFXIV's ongoing development (not to mention he is now a board member of SE too), I don't see him taking on another MMO project as well, as it would just be too much for one man to be able to deal with at once (I'm actually starting to worry about Yoshi's health, even with his typical Japanese workaholic work ethic, he takes his work on this game extremely seriously and thus I'm concerned he may be working too hard. But that's just me.).

[347SPECTRE]

Would be wise to have proof if you're going to post a thread like this.

[Rufalus]

No, pretty much. No news on this. Rumor and speculation only. We could discuss what we would like to see from a next gen game but there's no official news to go on right now and possibly for a very long time. As was mentioned there is a real FF XI reboot project for mobile devices in the works though.