Three games, a movie, an anime TV show, Sean Bean, Audi, and Florence and the Machine… Square Enix sets up major Final Fantasy relaunch

Square Enix last night revealed ambitious plans to rejuvenate its ageing Final Fantasy series with its next game.

Final Fantasy XV will debut on consoles on September 30th this year, the company announced during a star-studded conference last night. And the event was a significant statement of intent for the company.

Final Fantasy remains a popular series with a fiercely loyal fanbase. However, in recent years the series has been superseded as the market’s No.1 RPG franchise by the likes of Elder Scrolls and The Witcher.

Square Enix announced last night that before the new game launches, it will release two games linked to the title. Justice Monsters 5 is a mobile game – which will also appear as a mini-game in Final Fantasy XV – for iOS, Android and Windows Phone. It will arrive later in the summer.

In addition, the company announced a game called the Platinum Demo. The game is a irreverent spin-off game that uses the engine and mechanics of Final Fantasy XV – a demo, of sorts, with a completely original storyline that will not appear in the final game. It is available for free right now.

The publisher also detailed a Final Fantasy XV anime series called Brotherhood. Acting as a prequel to the game, the first episode (of which there are five in total) is available now.

On top of that, a new Final Fantasy movie – Kings Glave – is being created (as a stream and download) that also tells a side-story in the Final Fantasy XV universe and features an A-list cast including Sean Bean, Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) and Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad). It will also arrive ahead of the game.

There is also a one-of-a-kind Audi Final Fantasy car coming out and the theme song to the game – a cover of Stand By Me – has been recorded by artist Florence and the Machine.

The title is available to pre-order now with multiple special editions, including a Deluxe Edition (featuring a copy of the movie, a special case and several pieces of DLC) and a 190 Collector’s Edition, which features all that, a soundtrack, a copy of the anime, more DLC and a statue. Only 30,000 collector’s editions are being made available.

Check out next week’s MCV for more on the new Final Fantasy title.