Square Enix has announced its plans for an overhaul of troubled MMORPG
Final Fantasy XIV, revealing that the remade version of the game will be made available in the fourth quarter of 2012.
In a statement, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada explained that the development team has been working to fix the game to a high standard after
a rocky launch ten months ago.
As part of the announcement, Wada said that the unbilled period for the game will now come to a close, and a subscription-based system will be put in place sometime between late November and early December 2011.
The remade version of the game, dubbed 'Version 2.0', is due to be integrated into the game between October and December 2012. The full client will then go on sale at the start of 2013 for both PC and PlayStation 3.
The PS3 version of the game was delayed back when the game launched for PC, as Square Enix said that it was looking to improve stability, performance and functionality before the launch.
Naoki Yoshida, producer on the game, listed all the changes that the game will undergo for the rerelease. The game's current maps will be redesigned to fix the repetitive feel, while a whole new graphics engine will be put in place.
A new server system will also be integrated to fix speed and performance problems, while the user interface will receive a full overhaul.
Finally, the in-game community content will see more regular expansions, while overall the game will see numerous bug fixes and alterations.
"I promise that we will continue to give all
Final Fantasy XIV players our full attention as we do everything in our power to provide a high-quality service," he said, "and as such, would like ask for your continued encouragement and support."
"As always, everything we do will be for our players and customers," he concluded.
Yoichi Wada said last month that
the Final Fantasy name has been "greatly damaged" by the troubled
Final Fantasy XIV.
