Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles’ directors reveal that they had to find the original source code. Read on to learn more about how the remaster came to be as well as the game’s new intro.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles Remaster Only Possible Thanks to Fans
A Labor of Love by Fans and Developers
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles Director Kazutoyo Maehiro and Art Director Hiroshi Minagawa revealed how they scoured the internet to find a version of the original source code of Final Fantasy Tactics, which had long been overwritten, during a PAX West 2025 panel.
As the panel host, Ben Starr, voice actor of FF16’s protagonist, Clive Rosfield and most recently Tactics’ Dycedarg, brought up the little known fact that Square Enix no longer had the game’s original source code. Maehiro confirmed that they indeed lost the source code because of old management practices.
"[...] we would basically take that data from the Japanese version and overwrite the English data on it, and if we wanted to do another language, we would keep just stacking on top and overwriting and overwriting. So basically because we kept doing all that overwriting, the true original ceased to exist."
Once part of the original team that created Final Fantasy Tactics, Maehiro and Minagawa both decided to replay the game once again a few years ago, and they were instantly reminded of the game’s "brilliance," right down to its design and storytelling. Eventually, they decided that they wanted to bring both the original and the improved experience to both old fans and new players.
With that in mind, the Final Fantasy Tactics team exhausted many resources on their quest to find the original, starting with the other versions of the game such as the PSP and mobile releases. But because each version also had its own adjustments and enhancements added to them, their local engineers had to analyze the content and find elements that were faithful to the original game. However, they still could not pin down the "true original" version they needed to make the remaster possible.
In the end, the team had to look to other sources that would just as studiously collect, preserve, and steward such an old game.
"We actually had to go to different websites made by fans and look for data there, because we know you guys do such a good job of keeping all of that up to date," Maehiro said. He continued to thank the fans profusely for their work in archiving the game. With the combined efforts of their own team and passionate fans, they were able to recreate a game that was "true to the original."
The statement drew a lengthy round of applause from the crowd and even invited a cheeky response from Ben Starr, who said, "I think I speak on behalf of all the fans when I say, ‘You’re welcome. Can’t believe we had to make it for you.’"
Final Fantasy Tactics Gets a Revamped Opening Cinematic
At the end of the PAX 2025 panel, they unveiled the opening cinematic for the upcoming remaster. The opening movie keeps the bones of the original, beginning with the rough mountainous terrain of Ivalice, set against the triumphant tones of the reworked opening theme. The music transitions to a more sinister mood as the intro cuts to ruins from which young Delita Heiral, the game's deuteragonist, emerges with mysterious individuals dressed as the Order of the Southern Sky and their respective classes.
Riding astride Chocobos, they race through plains, riverbanks, and forests to reach the Orbonne Monastery, during which the music takes on discordant notes, creating tension and intrigue as the video ends on Princess Ovelia Atkascha’s figure hunched over in prayer.
The new cinematic is every bit an improvement from the original in part because of its smooth animations and clear adherence to the rest of the game’s aesthetic. The final product is also indicative of polished storyboarding and directing with its fluid transitions and clear tone.
Similar to Fire Emblem: Awakening and Fire Emblem: Fates cutscenes, Final Fantasy Tactics: Ivalice Chronicles’ animation style is a blend of 2D and 3D, evolving from the dated yet charmingly classic PS1 3D polygonal look by incorporating the game’s storybook-esque designs and textures found in traditional art mediums.
Eagle-eyed fans probably noticed an interesting detail they added wherein Delita breaks off from the knights and takes on higher ground within the forest surrounding the Orbonne Monastery, a decision that explains his appearance in the very first battle of the game.
Final Fantasy Tactics: Ivalice Chronicles is set to release on September 30, 2025 on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. For more information on the game, check out the article in the link below.
Source:
『ファイナルファンタジータクティクス - イヴァリース クロニクルズ』 エンハンスド
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YouTube: The Making of FINAL FANTASY TACTICS - The Ivalice Chronicles
