Update:
Square Enix has issued a statement about the 10 million sold number, saying it’s just meant as a high goal from the development team:
We’d like to make a comment on the news reports that state Hajime Tabata, Director of FINAL FANTASY XV, commented that FINAL FANTASY XV needed to sell 10 million copies to recoup the investment at the press conference held yesterday in LA.
We believe there was a communication problem during the conference. In fact, Tabata was referencing 10 million copies only as a high goal which the development team set to realize their ambition to make the ultimate FINAL FANTASY game. And the comment was never meant to be referred as a recoup line of the investment.
Original Story:
At a press conference attended by Kotaku, Game Director Hajime Tabata revealed that Final Fantasy XV needs to sell 10 million copies worldwide in its lifetime to be successful for Square Enix.
Putting that number in perspective, 10 million is more than any other Final Fantasy title has sold, save for Final Fantasy VII. It’s also more than the six million Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom shipped as of January 2016, but not as much as the 13 million Star Wars Battlefront shipped or 60 million Grand Theft Auto V shipped.
The English Final Fantasy XV Twitter account then released some other details from the press event, with Tabata saying, “The #FFXV Universe was created to make the main game #FFXV better and create a world people want to get lost in. All the products surrounding #FFXV are designed for different kinds of people & a way for different people to get into #FFXV.”
They added:
The Platinum Demo has a light tone because it’s set in Noctis’s dreams. #FFXV will be more serious but there’ll be a playful tone at times
— Final Fantasy XV (@FFXVEN) March 31, 2016
The inspiration behind the seamless open world in #FFXV is The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time – Tabata-san
— Final Fantasy XV (@FFXVEN) March 31, 2016
We want to give a great feeling to landing the flying car/Regalia in #FFXV if you’re not careful on your landing the car will bounce back up
— Final Fantasy XV (@FFXVEN) March 31, 2016
Landing in a plane is exciting so we wanted to make sure you can feel that excitement in the game
— Final Fantasy XV (@FFXVEN) March 31, 2016
Final Fantasy XV releases on September 30 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and a free demo is available right now through the PlayStation/Xbox Store. A PC version won’t be out in September, but Square Enix may look at it in the future.
Do you think Final Fantasy XV will reach 10 million sold?