With the gaming world preoccupied over concerns regarding Final Fantasy 7 Remake or the multimedia blitz that has accompanied Final Fantasy 15, World of Final Fantasy has understandably taken a back seat in the past few months. That changed today, however, as Square Enix released a World of Final Fantasy launch trailer ahead of its E3 2016 presentation that also revealed the game’s release dates, with a North American launch on PS4 and PS Vita due on October 25, 2016.

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In what is a remarkably different approach than is usually expected from Japanese publishers like Square, World of Final Fantasy will be available in North America before anywhere else, with a Japanese release two days later and a European release a day after that. This global approach makes a lot of sense when considering the cute, Chibi-style Final Fantasy visuals that World of Final Fantasy brings to the table, however, since the game is clearly meant to appeal to both hardcore fans and a new generation of gamers.

Broadening the target demographic of the Final Fantasy series can’t be a bad idea, especially considering what Final Fantasy 15 director Hajime Tabata has said about the franchise. Square Enix seems to share his belief that fans might have too much in the way of expectations for any given Final Fantasy game, and altering the approach to hook younger gamers as well might actually give the studio more freedom when it comes to designing Final Fantasy games in the future.

If nothing else, World of Final Fantasy provides a nice foil to the innovation and changes that are coming to the series via Final Fantasy 15. While the latter looks to reinvent Final Fantasy’s combat identity, World of Final Fantasy will center around nostalgic, cute re-imaginings of some of the series’ most popular characters alongside a quirky battle system that is more closely tied to the classic gameplay fans might associate with Final Fantasy.

What do you think about Square Enix’s multiple takes on Final Fantasy games this year? Does the inclusion of more elements akin to Pokemon games pique your interest, or would you prefer a classic turn-based handheld game in the near future? Let us know in the comments below.

World of Final Fantasy will be available on PS4 and PS Vita on October 25, 2016 in North America. A Japanese release will occur on October 27, while a European release will follow on October 28.

Source: Square Enix NA - YouTube