Final Fantasy XV
"Final Fantasy XV" Noctis figure from Play Arts Kai can now be preordered as a standalone purchase. Square Enix

The development of “Final Fantasy XV” was not as smooth as everyone expected. There was even a time when Game Director Hajime Tabata had to chastise the team after he stated that the team was infected by the “Final Fantasy disease.”

Speaking to Japanese game site 4Gamer, Tabata revealed that there had been hiccups, particularly the time when he felt that the so-called disease took over the team. In a translation by Kotaku, Tabata reportedly said that he felt that the team had a strong sense of self-affirmation, wherein everyone felt that their take on the new game in the series bore more weight than the success that the game can aim for.

“It refers to people within the company who can’t imagine anything other than their own view of ‘Final Fantasy,’ if that view of ‘Final Fantasy’ isn’t fulfilled, then they’re convince that it’s bad for ‘Final Fantasy,’” Tabata said as quoted by Kotaku. This is in reference to the “FF disease.”

It seemed that this got so bad, the game director had to tell the team to wake up and realise that the team was not that special, and that not everyone will get their point of view as the one main point of view in “Final Fantasy XV.”

Still, the overall goal of modernising the series won out. As Tabata had pointed out, the series has already come to a point wherein “Final Fantasy XV” should have been a moderisation of the series, so that it could pump new blood to an otherwise tottering progression.

As far as fan reception goes, it seems that there are a lot who appreciate the direction that “Final Fantasy XV” went with. Proof of this is the fact that the newly announced “Final Fantasy XV” Ultimate Collector’s Edition is already sold out in Europe.

Videogamer reported after technical issues with the second wave of preorders were straightened out, the UCE have been sold out. This batch is already included in the 10,000 additional “Final Fantasy XV” Ultimate Collector’s Edition announced recently. One of the reasons for the limited number of UCE is the Noctis Play Arts Kai figurine.

However, it was recently reported that a standalone figure is available over at the Square Enix Store. It currently still is available for preorder at US$129.99 (approx. AU$180). The only difference with the “Final Fantasy XV” UCE version is the different second weapon. It will also be released at a later date, on Oct. 31, a month after the release date of the game. The three other mainstays, Ignis, Gladiolus and Prompto all have their own Play Arts Kai figures available for preorder.

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