A Lost Fantasy Returns – ‘Fantasian’ Coming to Other Platforms (Rumor)
Final Fantasy needs no introduction, being one of the industries longest running JRPG franchises. But the father of that franchise, Hironobu Sakaguchi, founded a new studio. Mistwalker is infamous amongst Xbox fans for their amazing output on the Xbox 360. Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey are legends in the JRPG space, but the developer migrated to mobile efforts recently with Fantasian. That is going to change, according to recent rumors.
Apple Arcade Game Going to New Platforms
This report originated from a tweet from Xbox Era’s Nick, saying the following;
If what I’ve heard is true, fans of Xbox 360 era JRPGs will have something to look forward to at the showcase.
This was further collaborated with SEGA insider Midori saying an Apple Arcade game is coming to new platforms. She even clarified and said it that a SEGA game, writing off games like Sonic Dream Team.
Mistwalker’s Fantasian Going to New Platforms?
So with both of these reports, Read Write concluded that this could be the Apple Arcade exclusive Fantasian coming to new platforms. Specifically, Switch and PC, though Xbox and PlayStation versions could be announced as well.
Fantasian from developer and publisher Mistwalker, is a 2021 RPG created by some of the Final Fantasy team and has been responsible for many an Apple Arcade subscription and the news it could be about to be announced for Switch and PC imminently is getting a lot of people excited.
What is Fantasian?
Fantasian is a return to Final Fantasy games of the PS1 era. Backgrounds heavily inspired by the PS1 era, turn-based combat system, and featuring a score from the legendary Nobuo Uematsu. Many outlets reviewed this title, giving Fantasian strong reviews.
Fantasian Announcement
The question now is the following. Where will this new release of Mistwalker’s latest happen?
It could make for a great announcement at the Summer Games Fest, but the idea of a Switch-focused JRPG being revealed at the June Nintendo Direct is possible as well.
A major question is if an Xbox version is in development, will that be at the Xbox Games Showcase? Mistwalker has a history with Microsoft and Xbox, so a ‘return’ to the platform would be a huge deal. Even if Fantasian isn’t visually on par with Lost Odyssey, one would imagine the announcement will still excite.
Closing Thoughts on Fantasian
Apple Arcade is a genuinely good platform, but console-quality efforts should be on all platforms. Even if a turn-based JRPG could fit right at home on an iPhone or iPad, having a controller or using a handheld console is always a better option.
And seeing Mistwalker return to consoles after nearly a decade of making ‘smaller’ projects is exciting. One would hope this move could inspire more releases from the studio. With Xbox’s multiplatform approach as of late, maybe a remaster of Blue Dragon or Lost Odyssey could do very well for all parties involved.
Stay tuned as this story develops!