Absolutely we will do higher than this

Closing Fantasy, one of the crucial revered and influential JRPG franchises in historical past, noticed its thirty fifth anniversary a number of days in the past. Sq. Enix selected to rejoice the event with one thing followers have wished for years: PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Change ports of the primary six numbered video games. That is, after all, nice. Certain, the video games are arriving of their just-okay Pixel Remaster iterations, however even a just-okay model of Closing Fantasy IV on Nintendo Change is a deal with.

The not-so-great half got here after the massive announcement within the type of the Pixel Remaster bodily editions. Sq. Enix elected to launch two Closing Fantasy Pixel Remaster collections on bodily discs and cartridges — a Customary Version and an Anniversary Version. Each editions embrace all six Pixel Remaster titles, and so they’re each unique to the Sq. Enix retailer.

So what’s the catch?

Probably the most obviously apparent subject with each Pixel Remaster collections is the worth. The Anniversary Version, which incorporates an artwork e book, a vinyl report, and a set of collectible figurines modeled on completely different characters, will run you a princely $259.99 earlier than tax and transport. Clearly, that’s a fairly hefty price ticket, nevertheless it comes with a load of bonuses, and the collector’s market has lengthy made its peace with obscenely costly exclusives.

For the remainder of us, there’s the Customary Version, which is priced at a way more cheap $74.99. Spending $75 on a single disc or cartridge will at all times be a little bit of a troublesome promote, however you’ve gotta do not forget that these are 5 of the best JRPGs ever made, plus Closing Fantasy II. Might the worth go decrease? Certain. However so long as it doesn’t go any greater, it’s positive, proper? Properly… customary transport is $23.99, bringing the associated fee as much as practically $100 for the customary choice. Meaning the price of transport alone might purchase you two of those video games digitally.

What concerning the different catch?

As I discussed earlier than, each of those collections are unique to the Sq. Enix retailer. Meaning they’re each topic to a considerably archaic forced-scarcity drop course of. Each editions have wildly oscillated between out and in of inventory over the past couple of days, with restocks occurring seemingly at random. Should you see them in inventory, you’ll in all probability have to make a split-second determination on whether or not you’re able to drop a number of hundred bucks or not.

Severely limiting manufacturing like that is at all times a reasonably annoying enterprise follow, nevertheless it’s often one aimed toward extra area of interest audiences. Probably the most broadly celebrated franchise in Sq. Enix’s steady deserves a extra standard-wide launch with out all of the complications and value hikes.

In fact, it’s onerous to be fully upset about any of this. A number of followers, myself included, have been itching to get the primary six Closing Fantasy video games on fashionable platforms for years. For all my private qualms with the Pixel Remaster collection, I’m nonetheless going to purchase all of those video games (digitally) for the millionth time. However as somebody who likes to have bodily editions of my favourite video games on my shelf, I can’t assist feeling dangerous each time I take into consideration the way in which Sq. Enix has dealt with this rollout.

I’m used to slimy and ill-advised launch methods for area of interest particular editions, however seeing the Customary Version for a Closing Fantasy launch obtain this form of remedy simply bums me out.