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Did you ever think to yourself, "Hey, Final Fantasy X and X-2 are good and all, but what they really need is another 30-minute cut-scene during the credits?" You're in luck! According to the Japanese publication Shounen Jump (as translated by Siliconera), the upcoming HD remakes of FFX and FFX-2 (to be released on PS3 and Vita this fall) will come with a 30-minute cut-scene that plays over the compilation's credits—presumably at the end of FFX-2. I reached out to Square Enix earlier today for confirmation/further details, and I'll update if I hear back from them. Hopefully they don't go all Harry Potter on us: if this scene is set in the distant future and Tidus and Yuna have a kid named Jecht Auron I'm gonna break my TV.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 sees its leading lady, often considered the female Cloud, finally embrace the look of FF7's spiky-haired hero, thanks to newly-unveiled pre-order bonuses. We'd say this is the closest we'll get to a realization of that Final Fantasy 7 HD tech demo, but Square Enix does love a good remake, so never ever say never.

Put your name down for the game early, and you'll be able to dress Lightning up in Cloud's uniform, give her his Buster Sword and Soldier's Band item, and even watch her celebrate with his victory animation - to the backdrop of the FF7 victory fanfare, of course. If you hark from Europe, you'll also get an assorted trio of Samurai costumes for your up-front cash.

The pre-order bonuses are currently listed on Amazon, although it's unclear if they're limited to that particular retailer. As for the game itself, it'll definitely be available at a whole bunch of retailers when it busts onto PS3 and Xbox 360 on February 11, 2014.

Lightning returns alright. This time, she can dress up in Cloud Strife’s Soldier 1st Class Uniform and swing his Buster Sword. But there's a catch! According to the PlayStation Blog, those who pre-order Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII for the PS3 get the costume DLC. Um. Okay. Neat? Get Cloud’s Buster Sword & Uniform in LIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII [PlayStation Blog]

Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of Hitman: Absolution are on sale for a mere $12 at Best Buy right now.

While the deal includes free shipping, the game is no longer listed as available for shipping. Instead, those looking to save a few dollars on the game can opt to pick up a copy at select locations that still have it in stock. If the diminishing stock at our local stores is any indication, this deal many not last much longer.

This spring, former Square Enix honcho Yoichi Wada stepped down. Stepped down into what, you ask? Chairman of the Board. A controversial figure among Square Enix fans, Wada left his post as Square Enix's Representative Director. At the time, Square Enix as forecasting an "extraordinary loss" in sales and Wada's demotion was part of "a management reorganization". Also at the time, it was announced that Wada would not be reappointed to Board of Directors. Well...according to a Square Enix corporate officer listing, Wada was made Chairman of the Board for Square Enix Co., Ltd. this June. He is currently listed as "incumbent" or holding said office. So much for not being reappointed, huh? On 2ch, Japan's largest internet forum, people seem genuinely shocked by this news. "Wasn't this guy fired?" asked on commenter. "An overwhelming victory for Wada-san!" wrote another. One commenter, however, pointed out that this pattern is common in Japanese companies: a demoted president is moved into another powerful position, before disappearing from the scene. "I wonder how Wada will turn out," the commenter added. Imperial Hot in action, ladies and gents! 取締役会長 [Square Enix] To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft. Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.

The hair. Just look at the hair! It's magnificent. These aren't video game characters. They're men who would like to drink cocktails with you. Earlier this month, Japanese internet users chattered about how the latest entry in the Final Fantasy role-playing game series, Final Fantasy XV, featured a protagonist who looks like a "host". Here is said protagonist, Noctis Lucis Caelum: So, what the hell are hosts? And why is this video game character being compared to them? Hosts are paid drinking companions at nightclubs called, wait for it, "host clubs" in Japan. When you go to a host club, men in suits light your cigarette (if you smoke), pour your drinks (you probably drink), and sing you karaoke (do you sing?). Japan's host entertainment industry, and its female hostessing counterpart, has been called "psychological prostitution" in the past. Hosts aim to offer companionship and flirting to customers, whether they are old folks, business professionals, homemakers, college students—or even hostesses or sex workers looking to unwind and blow off steam. Hosts are supposed to be good looking, good singers, good conversationalists, good listeners, and good drinkers. The host subculture has distinctive fashion: Flashy suits, gothic or Western influenced accessories, and outrageous hair. For example: So, when gamers say that Final Fantasy XV looks like a "host fantasy", they are talking specifically about this sort of style—a style especially evident in the other games of FFXV's creator, Tetsuya Nomura. This time, however, the game's more "realistic" setting and clothing makes host comparisons more palpable. Put a guy with hair like that in a dark suit, and the vast majority of Japanese will immediately think "host". Some women (and men) in Japan find this style attractive, while others think it looks ridiculous. Regardless of people's opinions, "host fashion" is very much a thing. It's not mainstream (this is subculture, remember), but in the past, there have been "host fashion" magazines. The latest Final Fantasy XV art, though, looks like it's straight out of Men's Knuckle. This isn't the first time the host comparison has been made: back in 2011, 2ch users also said the game, then titled Final Fantasy Versus XIII, featured "hosts". Certainly, other Final Fantasy games, with their androgynous male characters, have also been compared to hosts. While some in Japan might be throwing around the word "host" as an insult, the comparison is understandable—and it shouldn't necessarily be seen as a dig. Much of the host fashion seems influenced by Japanese "visual kei" style, which has also influenced video game designs (and vice-versa). At this point, most hosts are not actively trying to pull off Final Fantasy or rockstar hair—instead, they're being influenced by an established host "look" that not only exists in a fantasy world, but also marks that existence: this is the world of the Japanese host. And for a price, you can indulge in that boozy fantasy all night long. ＦＦ１５の主人公がどうみてもホストな件 [2ch] Photos: Romeo, Romeo, Hiroki, TopDandy, Host.Es, Host-Collection, TopDandy, Host.Es, Host-Collection, TopDandy, ClubNeon, Kazu, Harem, 47News, TopDandy, TopDandy, TopDandy, TopDandy, Host-Yokohama, Aponya, Zerochan, Mennaku, Nagase To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft. Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.

Dragon Quest X will come to Japanese Windows machines on September 26, Square Enix announced today during a livestream broadcast. The Toriyama-infused MMO, which originally debuted on the Wii last August, also launched on Wii U in March, though to comparatively lackluster results.

The PC version will be available in two flavors: A ¥3,990 standard edition that includes 20 days of free game time, and a ¥9,800 "Special Pack" bundle, which comes with a DQX-themed controller, security authenticator, Monster Encyclopedia, microfiber world map and item code for an as-of-yet unannounced in-game goodie.

Folks interested in getting in on the ongoing beta test can do so by downloading Nvidia's benchmarking tool - successfully passing will provide the opportunity to apply for beta access. Oh, and you need to speak Japanese. That's kind of an important piece to this whole "non-westernized Japan-only RPG" puzzle.

Just as Final Fantasy 13-2 was to Final Fantasy 13, Lightning Returns is a different beast from the previous two FF13 games - with the emphasis maybe on beast. Speaking with Famitsu (as translated by Kotaku), game producer Yoshinori Kitase said, "If I were to describe the gameplay, I'd say that there are some elements with the severity of [something like] Dark Souls."

Kitase and director Motomu Toriyama told Famitsu Lightning Returns places emphasis on time and inventory management. Players only have a certain number of item slots, and start with only seven in-game days to complete the game, although this can be increased to thirteen via successfully completed missions. So, bits as tough as Dark Souls, with a touch of Majora's Mask and Resident Evil, then - and maybe some Final Fantasy too.

"Thinking economically is very important in this game!" noted Toriyama, perhaps while slowly tapping his fingers together and cackling maniacally.

Lighting Returns is due in North America on February 11, 2014, which is still a while away. In the meantime, you can check out our E3 hands-on where we took in how the game shifts up the combat's paradigms and Stagger systems for its returning party of one.

Dragon Quest X is an online game. And for the past year, the game's real money trade (selling virtual items for real cash) has been a problem in Japan. And this might be why. Above you can see a room supposedly filled with 100 Wiis. It seems that Dragon Quest X bots are farming gold, the game's currency. An individual tweeted the photos to Dragon Quest X's producer, pleading for a fix to deal with this. The Twitter user appears to have created the account to post only these photos. これがドラクエ10のRMT業者の手口だ！[へちま] To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft. Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.

This summer, Square Enix will launch a vampire-hunting app on iOS called Bloodmasque. Set in 19th century Paris, Bloodmasque tasks players with ridding the town of vamps in this Unreal Engine-powered game anchored by a "photo-based character customization experience."

Square Enix snatched up domains for Bloodmasque back in January, tipping us off to the new iOS game and sadly ignoring our most excellent suggestion for an Edgar Allan Poe game. It's okay, Square Enix; we're just going to put on our Crymasque and go sit in the corner for a while.

Square-Enix

- Occult Maide
- Star Ocean

No development process has been as interesting to watch than the multi-game pile-up known as Final Fantasy 13. It's not that these RPGs have been of poor quality, per se; they just represent the totality of Square Enix's resource mismanagement during the first HD generation of consoles. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that Lightning Returns wasn't the only Final Fantasy 13-related product on the show floor during E3 2013, as Square unveiled the long-awaited Versus 13 under an entirely new (though slightly predictable) name: Final Fantasy 15.

This rebranding - combined with the Final Fantasy 13 name getting second billing to its lead character - provides some compelling evidence that the developer might be a little ashamed of that "lucky" number these days.

E3 is chaos. In its worst moments, it’s a swirling maelstrom of poor planning and slip-sliding schedules – a thumping videogame Valhalla that feels like it was designed with techno-ravers and cosplayers in mind, not journalists. I guess what I’m trying to say is, sometimes you have to interview Thief‘s developers before playing their game. Optimal? Not really. But it still made for an interesting conversation – just between Eidos Montreal and its own game, not Eidos and myself. The question: was Thief’s E3 demo able to live up to what lead level designer Daniel Windfeld Schmidt told me about it mere moments before? The answer: Errrrrrrrrrrrrr.

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Right now, you can play any mainline Final Fantasy game on a modern system—PS3, Vita, iOS, etc.—except for two: Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy XII. Both PlayStation 2 entries have never made it to other platforms, and anyone who's tried to play PS2 games on a high-definition television might understand why people are begging for remakes. Later this year, two will narrow down to one: Square Enix is giving FFX a new coat of paint on PS3 and Vita. That leaves Final Fantasy XII as the odd moogle out—the only game you can't play today without digging out an old console. But! Square Enix is cognizant of that, and if the FFX remakes live up to expectations, FFXII could come next. "If they do well, I think this will pave the way for more of the previous games to remade in an HD sort of quality," Final Fantasy leading man Yoshinori Kitase told the folks at RPGSite. "I mean, if we had to single out one of the vast number of Final Fantasy titles which we could make in HD, it would have to be Final Fantasy XII," he said. "I was not involved in the project, though, so we can't really comment on that." Cool. And then maybe a 3D remake of Final Fantasy VI? Please? (Image via Square Enix's official site)

The real world saga of Final Fantasy XIV’s original disastrous and lurching launch, that is. But it looks like this sorry tale might be in for a happy ending. A Realm Reborn is the MMO’s relaunch, and Square Enix have gone hell for leather to completely rework the game into a state more acceptable to their audience. Almost everything has been redone in some way, from the game world to the PvP and PvE content, to the very server model that the game rests on. It’s a complete reboot, or rebirthing, if that sounds better. No, it really doesn’t, does it? Anyway, the game has certainly impressed a lot of folk at E3, and you have a chance to be impressed if you get onto the beta.

That beta has just entered the cross-platform stage, which means PS3 owners can now join their PC chums in the game world. So that’s nice. Holding hands and stuff. Tear-jerking trailer below, for good measure.(more…)

Spike TV got to see Thief (no, just Thief now, branding fans) in motion, too. You can see their encounter with it below, as you refresh yourself with delicious Doritos and Mountain Dew. I am contractually obliged to mention that our kid Adam has already played the game, and you can read about his experiences over here.

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Moments ago, we took to the stage at our exclusive pre-E3 Future of FINAL FANTASY event to confirm to press and fans alike the news you’ve all been eagerly waiting for – FINAL FANTASY XV is in development for PlayStation 4!

Previously known as FINAL FANTASY Versus XIII, the game has been expanded to take full advantage of the PlayStation 4 capabilities, to bring you a FINAL FANTASY game that will surpass your expectations.

At the core of FINAL FANTASY XV we’re still retaining the main concept, world and story of our original vision. Armed forces of Niflheim launch a devastating assault upon the Kingdom of Lucis, casting Crown Prince Noctis and his comrades out of their homes and into the fray.

But the game has evolved to include improved action elements, gameplay and a completely new level of beautiful graphical quality, all thanks to the capabilities of the PlayStation 4.

But don’t take my word for it, have a look at the stunning trailer below and we guarantee your jaw will hit the floor!

Sony fans will be pleased to hear that Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is in development for PlayStation 4!

Announced at the Square Enix Future of Final Fantasy E3 conference, it was confirmed that gamers who purchase the PlayStation 3 version of the game will be able to transition their accounts to the PlayStation 4 version when it’s released in 2014.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn will be released on August 27, 2013, for PC and PlayStation 3 – but don’t forget that Phase 3 of the beta begins this Friday! For the first time, PlayStation 3 gamers will be able to adventure with their PC-owning companions thanks to the game’s cross-platform capabilities.

Make sure you don’t miss out on any of the fun by registering your interest in the beta today. Phase 3 and the beginning of the PlayStation 3 Beta for Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn starts this Friday, 14 June – don’t miss out!

Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut will launch on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC/Mac later this year, Square Enix announced in a press release. The version was initially announced for Wii U in March, and Eidos Montreal said the Director's Cut improvements were not planned for other platforms as of April.

The touchscreen features seen in the Director's Cut version developed for the Wii U version will translate to Microsoft's SmartGlass app and the PlayStation Vita.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution — Director's Cut isn't just for Wii U anymore. Square Enix has announced the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC are getting in on the action as well.

The first thing you do in Bloodmasque is sacrifice your face to the gods of uncanny valley. How fun is this? To slip a face-capture gimmick into a mobile game, in this day and age? And using Unreal Engine 3 no less. I can't wait to see what my pudgy, bearded mug looks like on this slender vampire hunter. It will not be awkward at all. Bloodmasque — and isn't that an amazing name? — is coming to iOS this summer from Square Enix. Here's hoping they don't charge extra to make you pretty.

Final Fantasy X was not my first Final Fantasy, nor is it my favorite by a long shot, but it was the Final Fantasy that gave the characters voices, so it'll always be strange and wonderful to me, especially in HD. Here we get a taste of both sides of Square Enix's HD re-release — the epic original, and the dress-up dance number sequel. Which do I prefer? What can I do for you? *drops the base, then picks it back up again because we still need it*

Look, no one should be making 'didn't ask for this' jokes anymore. But, if anything calls for it, it's the TV-commercial-style narration in this clip for the remastered and tweaked Wii U version of Eidos Montreal's stealth/action cyberpunk hit.

I'm at a press conference all about the future of Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts and who knows what else. Here we go.... I'm one of about 200 people in a conference room at the Marriott near E3. They've got banners here for Final Fantasy XV and Kingdom Hearts 3. But we're starting with Naoki Yoshida, producer of Final Fantasy XIV. A Realm Reborn comes out this August. 27 for PS3 and Windows; 2014 for PS4. We're watching a long trailer that includes airship captain Cid Garlond. Yoshida had wanted us to take note of how good the game looks despite being an MMO. And, yes, it looks like a PS3 game, I'd say. "We believe that while an MMO RPG, Final Fantasy XIV retains the heart and soul of a Final Fantasy game," Yoshida said. "We can say with confidence that a Realm Reborn is the highest-quality MMORPG you will find on the PlayStation 3." Data from PS3 version can be carried over to the PS4 version. And that's it for FFXIV. Time for FFXV. We're seeing the trailer from last night. The trailer had shown a modern setting, what looks like real-time combat. Here comes Shinji Hashimoto, brand director for Final Fantasy, to tell us more. "I was so excited that I had difficulty falling asleep last night," he tells us. "I'd like to remind you that even for us it's a huge amount of joy that we were finally able to announce Final Fantasy XV. Well, everyone is talking about the next-gen consoles at this year's E3. FFXV is being developed with a tool called Direct X 11. With this tool it's possible to port the title to various hardware. Following yesterday's announcement [for PS4] we would like to announce that we are porting Final Fantasy XV to Xbox One as well." We're about to see an in-engine trailer. "This is a fantasy based on reality," the trailer reads. Our black-haired hero is fighting guys on the walls of a skyscraper. Drops down to a plaza and swings a sword that'd make Cloud envious. A blonde friend shows up and shoots an enemy. And then black-hair is running around, kicking and slashing soldiers. This is all in real-time. We're seeing a montage. It looked really fluid and very good. We'll be able to show it to you shortly. And now we're on to Yoshinori Kitase, producer of Final Fantasy X/X-2 Remaster and Lighting Returns: Final Fantasy XIII.

Square Enix showed a fresh trailer for Final Fantasy Versus 13 during Sony's E3 press conference today. At the end of the trailer, Square Enix's Tetsuya Nomura noted the game is now known as Final Fantasy 15, and the game will be coming to both PS3 and PS4.

Sony announced Kingdom Hearts 3 at its E3 press conference as the latest sequel in the long-running Square Enix/Disney series. The company showed off a short trailer, which traced the history of the Kingdom Hearts series, and then revealed some gameplay footage from the title.

The game will arrive on the PlayStation 4, but no date for release was given yet.

During Sony's E3 keynote, Adam Boyes said Final Fantasy 14 will come to consoles exclusively on PS3 and PS4. No timetable for the port was announced.

I was prepared to act dumb, pretending that I hadn’t been able to make out the gruff witterings of a silly voiceover. Probably just rats. I’d even turn a blind eye to the live action robbery and harrowing arrowing that accompanied the sounds. Nothing to see there. Despite a pleasing shot at the end, which brings back delightful memories of the original games’ beautifully stylised mission briefings, the latest Thief trailer isn’t really worth watching, although you can do so below. It’s worth drawing attention to the trailer because of what it isn’t. Not a jot of the technically superb and far more stealth-friendly in-game footage that I’ve seen with my own eyes is shown, and that is a shame.

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You've read about Stephen Totilo playing the game, now see what E3 2013 visitors can expect when they go hands-on with Lightning in the third and final installment of the Final Fantasy XIII saga this week. I'm still not sure how I feel about the game — it certainly doesn't look like what I want out of a Final Fantasy title. Then again, neither did X-2, and I completely fell in love with the whole costume-changing element from that game. I'll hold off until I can verify whether or not it opens with a musical number.

Deus Ex is, by nature, a complicated game. You can start by simply moving around a level: There's cover to move in and out of, and stealth movement requires good timing and precision. Then, there's all of the abilities you have, from using various gadgets and weapons to choosing your bio-implants and playing the hacking mini-games. That's a lot of buttons. In making Deus Ex: The Fall for iOS devices, Square Enix Mobile was given the task of putting all those functions into a device that has only one button.

In that respect, the most exciting news about this game is that it works. For the most part, that is. You can't hide bodies, for one thing.