Final Fantasy Tactics fans have been waiting to see a new game for some time. After Final Fantasy Tactics S only lasted from 2013 to 2014 on Japanese mobile systems, the series was abandoned, and players would have to turn to other games to get the same experience. Even then, the excellent political drama present in the original Final Fantasy Tactics has not been fully reproduced in any Final Fantasy game since. The game did get an enhanced port on PSP and mobile devices called The War of the Lions, but this version came with performance issues and a controversial retranslation.
Thus when rumors started to swirl about a possible Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster, it seemed almost too good to be true. Now that several leaks have appeared from different official sources, it's beginning to look like there may finally be a definitive version of Final Fantasy Tactics coming to modern consoles. The talk around this game has been surprising, but it doesn't seem like it's going to be coming out for a while yet. Nevertheless, fans are convinced the game is real due to an abundance of evidence.
The Nvidia GeForce Now Leak
The Final Fantasy Tactics community found themselves sharing the limelight with many other games in a leaked list. On September 13, 2021, a massive data leak from Nvidia GeForce Now revealed dozens of previously unannounced games. Nvidia GeForce Now is a streaming service that connects to many digital storefronts, offering thousands of games to play instantly. It operates similarly to Xbox Cloud Gaming with Game Pass or PlayStation Now.
With games ranging from future PlayStation PC ports to unannounced Microsoft titles, the leak was a far-reaching look into the gaming industry’s potential future. Square Enix fans were especially pleased, given the leak included such major titles as Kingdom Hearts 4, a Chrono Cross Remaster, a Final Fantasy 9 Remake, and a Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster. Nvidia quickly released a statement confirming the leak was genuine, but that some of its games were just internal tests or placeholders that are not real. It’s not clear which of the leaked games are fake, but thanks to Ubisoft aggressively taking down instances of the list, it does appear to hold some truths.
Further Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster Leaks
Fortunately, fans only had to wait about a month for Final Fantasy Tactics to be mentioned again. On October 22, Reddit user DrNanard posted a playtest invitation sent to them by Eidos-Montreal. In a survey intended to screen people for the playtest, several questions hinted the subject game might be a tactical RPG. Some of the franchises mentioned on the survey were Fire Emblem, Ogre Battle, Disgaea, and Final Fantasy Tactics. There were even references to games related to Tactics, like its portable sequels and some other Ivalice Alliance games. As Eidos-Montreal typically works closely with Square Enix, this could be another hint at a Tactics remaster.
One final piece of evidence exists regarding Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster, and it’s perhaps the most concrete yet. At the beginning of November 2021, fans noticed a reference to a mysterious Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster on digital retailer Instant Gaming. This listing alludes to the Epic Games Store and displays a 2023 release date. Even though that is a while off, it’s plausible for a game with no official news and playtests allegedly happening. If this Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster is real, it remains to be seen whether it will err towards revitalizing the original game or adding new features from The War of the Lions. Regardless, it seems likely Final Fantasy Tactics fans could revisit their favorite game again soon.
Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster is rumored to be in development.