Square Enix Delays Final Fantasy XIV PS3, Restructures Team

Following a tumultuous launch of the PC version of the MMO Final Fantasy XIV, Square Enix said it would delay the PlayStation 3 version of the game from the previous March 2011 launch target. The delay of the MMO past March 2011 means the PS3 version will miss Square Enix's current fiscal year. The publisher said a new release date has yet to be determined. "Rather than simply converting the current Windows PC version, it is our intention to include all the improvements we currently plan to meet customer expectations for the PS3 version," read a statement from Square Enix. "In order to do so, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the release timing of the PS3 version from our previous plan of early March 2011. The new release date will be announced swiftly upon final determination." The Windows version of FFXIV launched on September 30 this year, and encountered significant stability, performance and functionality issues. Since the launch of the game, Square Enix has extended FFXIV's free trial period twice in order to appease players. In the wake of the delay of the PS3 version, Square Enix also announced that producer Hiromichi Tanaka would be stepping down from his position, instead working with the FFXIV team in "other capacities." Taking over the game as producer and director is Naoki Yoshida, who acknowledged himself as a relative unknown, but asked players to "please put to rest uncertainties that you may have" about his and his team's abilities. Square Enix president and CEO Yoichi Wada said additional new FFXIV team leaders were "hand-picked" from other projects to work on the MMO. Wada said, "We realize time is of the essence and are fully determined to provide our customers with quality service. It is because of this that we ask our customers to be patient until we are able to confidently present them with a concrete plan outlining [FFXIV's] new direction. The free trial period will be extended until that time."