Square Enix has confirmed that neither the Final Fantasy 7 remake nor Kingdom Hearts 3 will be released before the end of the company’s current fiscal year on March 31, 2017.
In an earnings presentation earlier today, Square Enix detailed a list of “major titles” that it would be releasing. The slate for 2016 includes World of Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue and the PS4 version of Rise of the Tomb Raider.
A Square Enix representative stated to VideoGamer that "the slide doesn't feature the complete lineup of titles for the year.” The list of games on the slide are:
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - August 23, 2016
Final Fantasy XV - September 30, 2016
Rise of the Tomb Raider - Holiday 2016
World of Final Fantasy - 2016
Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue - 2016
SaGa SCARLET GRAVE - 2016 (Japan)
Kingdom Hearts 3 was first shown off in 2013, while the Final Fantasy 7 remake was announced at last year’s E3.
In their report, Square Enix stated their plans to “further strengthen the core franchises by large‐scale title launches.” New initiatives for the future include “premium apps for smart devices,” “VR/AR,” and “emerging market development.” Their strategy to drive “enhancement of core franchises through continuous investment” is evidenced by the blitz of publicity around Final Fantasy XV.
Aside from Kingdom Hearts 3 and the Final Fantasy 7 remake, NieR: Automata is also missing from the list. Fingers crossed that we don’t wait as long for these games as we did for Final Fantasy XV.
