Final Fantasy XV Multiplayer Delayed As Square Enix Encounters Issues

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Fans of the RPG genre are licking their wounds, after Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy XV multiplayer content will be delayed.

Final Fantasy is undoubtedly one of the most popular video games series in the world at present. The epic RPG series is particularly popular in Japan, but it has attracted a vast number of followers in the Western market as well. Unfortunately, as the complexity of Final Fantasy titles becomes ever greater, so delays and teething troubles associated with the series grow as well. And thus it’s not hugely surprising to hear that a hotly anticipated multiplayer expansion for Final Fantasy XV multiplayer has been delayed.

Square Enix tweets

Square Enix, also responsible for the Tomb Raider games, is the developer in charge of Final Fantasy nowadays, and the software house has informed Final Fantasy fans that the multiplayer expansion for the latest title will indeed be pushed back. The news was broken in a tweet on the official Final Fantasy XV Twitter accounts. It seems that the developer has been forced to make some last minute adjustments to the game, and that this will result in the multiplayer content instead being released in November.

The multiplayer update had originally been slated for Halloween, with both Xbox One and PS4 owners benefiting from the software. However, it seems that the Square Enix encountered technical issues which were overseen, meaning that a little tinkering needs to take place before it is finally released in November. At least owners of the game can comfort themselves with the fact that the delay will not be too great, and also that it will be available before the Christmas period.

Performance issues

The tweet mentions the phrase “best possible experience,” suggesting that there were performance difficulties experienced ahead of the release of the multiplayer content. Final Fantasy XV is, of course, a huge game, and achieving a decent running speed on the earlier Xbox One and PlayStation 4 releases was probably far from straightforward. With multiplayer content now being added as well, clearly there will be massive programming and engineering challenges for Square Enix.

Another factor in this issue is the Luminous Engine that was utilized to build the Final Fantasy XV title. This engine is well known to be particularly hefty, meaning that the developer faced serious problems when attempting to port the title to the Nintendo Switch. This issue can probably be circumnavigated eventually, but the Final Fantasy XV version that appears on the Switch will probably not run on at the Luminous Engine, which could obviously reduce its quality.

Unique character in Final Fantasy XV Multiplayer

The multiplayer content for Final Fantasy XV certainly sounds intriguing. Players will be able to create a unique character and team up with three friends online in a Comrades mode. By equipping royal sigils, players will be granted special powers from the Lucian bloodline, enabling them to take on the no doubt challenging quests involved in the new content.

Final Fantasy XV multiplayer will certainly add a new dimension to the title when it emerges, and will continue to build the legacy of one of the most significant video game series in the history of the medium. While Final Fantasy VII arguably remains the most revered title among all of the games released thus far, the series continues to impress and engage gamers of all ages.

It is known that the Final Fantasy XV multiplayer content will also feature single-player missions. These will enable players to improve their characters’ specifications, with the ultimate goal of discovering more about the disappearance of Noctis. This featured strongly in the plot of the main storyline in the single-player Final Fantasy XV campaign.

Online play

With online play so important nowadays, it is not surprising that Square Enix has chosen to create a deep and involving Final Fantasy XV multiplayer universe. Final Fantasy XV characters Gladiolus, Prompto and Ignis will be added as playable characters in future updates, while Comrades will be made available to all those who purchased a season pass for Final Fantasy XV previously. The Final Fantasy XV multiplayer content is, of course, also available via a standalone purchase.

The Final Fantasy XV multiplayer content is just the latest strand in a universe of successful Final Fantasy games. Recently, it was announced that the mobile title Final Fantasy XV: A New Empirehas has racked up more than 20 million downloads; once again indicating the popularity of the game. MZ developed this title in partnership with Square Enix, and has achieved massive success with this game since it was launched earlier this year.

Instagram star Alexis Ren was recruited to participate in the marketing of this game, which proved to be highly successful, not least because the model has acquired 11 million followers on the social media platform. This strategy arguably followed earlier efforts from Game of War; a strategy getting obviously influenced by Game of Thrones which utilized a viral campaign featuring the actress Kate Upton.

Growing universe

When the Final Fantasy XV multiplayer content lands, it will form part of a multifaceted Final Fantasy universe. With a feature-length CG movie having been released previously, and a five-part anime series proving particularly popular, the video games range is even breaking into new forms of media. Numerous updates, multiple story extensions, and a handful of spin-offs have also appeared, with Final Fantasy XV set to live a long and healthy life beyond its initial release date.

Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition has proved hugely popular on mobile platforms, while Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV delivers an unlikely, but critically acclaimed, virtual reality fishing experience. With Final Fantasy XV interaction now possible on smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops, video game consoles, and even virtual reality, the title is indicative of the diversity of the modern video games industry.

Clearly this sort of portfolio of titles places vast pressure on the developer, even if Square Enix is hugely experienced and capable. But the Final Fantasy XV multiplayer title will certainly be worth waiting for, with legions of fans ready to begin playing as soon as it becomes available.

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