Never ask why it's called "Final" Fantasy again!

[LocoColt04]

You know, we get this question a lot speckled here and there throughout the forums, so I thought I'd do us all a favor and stick a thread with the answer some of you always seem to seek.

Why is it called "Final Fantasy" when it's not the last one? To quote Wikipedia:

Final Fantasy is a role-playing game developed and published by Square Co., Ltd. for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987, and is the inaugural game in Square's flagship Final Fantasy series.

Final Fantasy has subsequently been remade for several different video game consoles and handheld systems, including the MSX 2 computers (converted and released by Microcabin) and the Bandai WonderSwan Color. It has also seen versions produced for two Japanese mobile phone service providers: the NTT DoCoMo FOMA 900i series (as Final Fantasy i) and the CDMA 1X WIN-compatible W21x series of mobile phones from au/KDDI (as Final Fantasy EZ). The game has frequently been packaged with its sequel, Final Fantasy II. Compilations of the two games have been released for the Family Computer, the PlayStation, and the Game Boy Advance. For release information regarding the PlayStation and Game Boy Advance compilations, see Final Fantasy Origins and Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls, respectively.

Final Fantasy was developed during Square's brush with bankruptcy in 1987. In a display of gallows humor, producer/director Hironobu Sakaguchi declared that his final game would be a fantasy RPG, hence the title. Far from being Square's final game, however, Final Fantasy proved to be a major success in Japan, not only saving Square from bankruptcy, but presenting them with the second most popular RPG franchise in the country (after Enix's Dragon Quest). Following the successful North American localization of Dragon Quest (as Dragon Warrior), Nintendo of America translated Final Fantasy into English and published it in North America in 1990. The North American version of Final Fantasy was met a modest success, due partly to Nintendo's aggressive marketing tactics. No version of the game was marketed in Europe or Australia until 2003's Final Fantasy Origins.

Final Fantasy, along with the original Dragon Quest, proved to be one of the most influential early console role-playing games, and played a major role in legitimizing and popularizing the genre. Graphically and musically, it was a more polished effort than many of its contemporaries. Many modern critics point out that the game is poorly paced by contemporary standards, and involves much more time wandering in search of random battle encounters to raise their experience and money levels than it does exploring and solving puzzles. However, this was a common trait for role-playing games of this era, and one that, in some respects, would remain in place until the mid-1990s.

Final Fantasy was Nobuo Uematsu's seventh work of video game music composition.

Hopefully, that answers your question before you even ask it. It seems we never could answer that question enough times for enough people.

[Chez Daja]

Yeah, all well and good, but one thing continues to play on my mind... Why is the series called Final Fantasy?


Hahaha. I'm just kidding. I half expect somebody to come in this thread and stranggle me.

On a serious note, interesting stuff.

[LocoColt04]

*strangles*

Yeah, it's the same thing I've been telling people for years, but it seems like people are more likely to respect the truth when it comes from an "official" source. Hell, there are ancient press releases that I could dig around for straight from Squaresoft way back in the day that would say the same thing I said right there.

[Chez Daja]

To be honest with you, I don't think the name of the series had ever come to my mind to question... until I came across this thread anyway.

It's pretty interesting though, now I can laugh at people who don't know why its called Final Fantasy.

But yeah, if it was from an intellect such as yourself, I'd most likely believe it, whether you had or hadnt searched for it on a site.

[Bryan 2.0]

Yeah, all well and good, but one thing continues to play on my mind... Why is the series called Final Fantasy?

I just read the reason (though I knew it already, because I'm frickin incredibly smart) and I came back here to ask the same question that you just did. I know that I'm probably beating a dead horse in doing this but....why is the series called Final Fantasy? I mean, there hasn't been a final game in the series yet.....

[Chu Chulain]

since everyone's so smart i'm not gonna look for the actual reason and guess as an avid FF fan without such overwhelming experience some seem to claim: it was a gamble by the original creators that made FF adventure (don't know if that was the first ever FF but anyway) both on their belief that they mastered the art of rpg making and that it was an original but attractive name (marketable..)

[LocoColt04]

...guys, it's not up for debate. This is what SQUARE said, and it makes perfect sense.

Final Fantasy was developed during Square's brush with bankruptcy in 1987. In a display of gallows humor, producer/director Hironobu Sakaguchi declared that his final game would be a fantasy RPG, hence the title.

[Chu Chulain]

*surrenders to Loco's infinite wisdom* j/k alright got it..read it..just pitchin some...pitch..you know like tar..metaphorically it makes the subject stick..there's the fact..and the random humor/sarcasm/irony/anything-that-isn't-the-bland-truth...

[Anthiena]

Meowr... I first heard that when I watched the Icon episode on it. I would suppose that 'Final Fantasy' would be better than 'Last Battle' or something like that......

[LocoColt04]

Oh man... could you imagine if the series was named "Last Battle"? I think I'd cry. That would be horrendous. No matter how great the games in the series may be, I don't know of anyone who'd want to purchase "Last Battle VIII" or something. Last is so... so final. Which is ironic, because the word "final" seems to work so well.

You can always take the alternative approach and view it like this:

The world is going to end. These X people must make one final journey to destroy the evil threatening the world, and blah blah save the day. "Final" actually makes perfect sense. Of course, FFX-2 would break the mold if that's what the name was truly about, because sequels means there's no real finality about it.

[belrog777]

it could not be a series. because last battle would be the last battle.

[LocoColt04]

Well, by that theory, FINAL Fantasy would also be the last one. That's why people ask us the question so often. We usually see it formed like this:

"Why does Final Fantasy have ten games if it's supposed to be the last one?"

It's just a name.

[Rinoa.Heartilly]

This whole thing is irony. To think naming a series after this:

In a display of gallows humor, producer/director Hironobu Sakaguchi declared that his final game would be a fantasy RPG

Not only did it take them out of finacial debt, It wasn't the last Final Fantasy ever made. I wonder if they ever thought the game series would be so successful. I mean 12 games in the series alone!!! Not to mention a sequel (FFX-2), Tactics, Crystal Chronicles, 2 remakes (Final Fantasy: Dawn of Souls, Final Fantasy Origins), and 2 movies. Don't forget about the 3 Kingdom Hearts Games...Though not "Officially" Final Fantasy but they are based on the characters. Its a big Cinderella story. It's a very interesting article Loco. Where'd you find it?

[LocoColt04]

To quote Wikipedia:

Do a Wikipedia search for Final Fantasy, and that's what comes up.

And you're completely leaving Mystic Quest and the three Legends titles out of your list as well.

And Chronicles, which was four and CT, and Anthology, which was five and six.

And FFT:Advance.

[Rinoa.Heartilly]

Its a whole lot to keep track of...I got them mostly from my head. Thats a lot higher then I can count. So thats 23 games then? I dont know.

Thats why your the news guy and I have nothing to do with it.

[belrog777]

we'll yeah, but final fantasy sounds better than last battle.

[dragoona]

because it's never realy final.... it a play on words really,....... AND NOW YOU KNOW .... havea good day...

[ShinRa]

Well, we know (or should know by now if you've been reading the above posts) that that Final Fantasy I was the last project (or so they thought) But when it became huge, Square desided to keep going because the term "Final Fantasy" itself was going to be bought by a lot of people. It's a marketing stratergy.

[belrog777]

yeah, cosiderd that the person, who came up with the name final fantasy. is a multimillionair right now. i would call that a big marketing stratagy.

[princemikie1]

hes right the one created it is rich i mean rich look at all these final fantasy games.

[Renzokuken320]

and don't think about yourself because if even there was a final fantasy
REEAALLYY you need play again and final after final after final is boreing
and new is new i mean new game make fun even you meet final then
don't tell anyone or expect any thing because that is one that have FINAL
even everyone together can't make FINAL

[LocoColt04]

...do I really have to say it again?

It's not up for debate. It's a fact. The game is called "FINAL FANTASY" because it was supposed to be Square's last RPG before they went out of business. They didn't expect to make a ton of money off of it. The fans wanted more, so it turned into a series. Period. Plain and simple.

It wasn't a marketing strategy, and it wasn't supposed to be a success.

Read the first post, which has the statements from Square and its representatives.

[Angantyr]

Im surprised I never heard anybody here mention it but on the bonus FFX dvd he is talking about it, he actually said he wasnt happy with the games he was making

[monkeydogporn]

since everyone's so smart i'm not gonna look for the actual reason and guess as an avid FF fan without such overwhelming experience some seem to claim: it was a gamble by the original creators that made FF adventure (don't know if that was the first ever FF but anyway) both on their belief that they mastered the art of rpg making and that it was an original but attractive name (marketable..)

The first one was Final Fantasy, adventure came 3 years later.. i think! :S . but yer, i think the title of the games is hella good! it goes alot deeper than most other game titles!

[Wolf_Odonnell]

Hehehe, it's pretty ironic really, considering it's one of the biggest and longest gaming franchises ever.

[belrog777]

yeah, wish that i could get in on a bit of the franchise too.

[Palazzo]

I've heard from many places that the actual reason of the name "Final Fantasy" was a translation error of "Ultimate Fantasy" or something along those lines.

He says it was because it was their last attempt at a successful game but wouldn't you rather say it was because of that and not a translation error?

I'm not saying this is true, just what I've heard.

[LocoColt04]

Well, I'm still going with the really old statement from Squaresoft.

Everyone else's speculation isn't worth much compared to the company's word.

[Palazzo]

Well, I'm still going with the really old statement from Squaresoft.

Everyone else's speculation isn't worth much compared to the company's word.

Which, coincidently, also isn't worth much in my eyes. SE have gone back on their word plenty of times before. The FFVII compilation is a good example.

[Omega]

Seriously people, why are you debating it? I've heard that same statement before and it's probably true. Now it just seems like an irony or a contradiction since the series never ends. But then again they could have walked away from the title after the first game. However then there would be a title out there with a name that no one can immediately relate with. Therefore if they established an audience they needed to take advantage of the "brand name" and use that to build a fanbase.

Now that they have done that, they can do whatever they want. Release sequels, side projects, even non-ff titles like Vagrant Story.

There really was no way to change the name in my opinion since creating the fan base was critical, especially for a company that was close to the brink of being out of business. They wanted to play it safe and smart, and look at them now.