A new report says that Square Enix and Tencent have teamed up for an upcoming mobile game based on Final Fantasy XIV.
The report comes courtesy of Niko Partners and is part of an overall report (H/T MOP) about international/import games and the approval process to release those games in China. So yes, this upcoming mobile title looks to be released just for the Chinese audience.
There's nothing that says we couldn't see this in a bigger release eventually, but once it does formally get announced for the Chinese market, we will know a little more about what Tencent’s Lightspeed Studios is concocting.
The report discusses other titles that have been approved, including a Rainbow Six title from Ubisoft and Tencent, set for mobile and PC, two licensed Marvel games, (the already released) Marvel Snap and Marvel Rivals, and Nintendo titles for the Switch. Two Japanese iPs cae up in the report: Dynasty Warriors and Final Fantasy XIV.
The Final Fantasy XIV title has already been approved, though we’ll have to wait and see just what form it takes. Still, it’s a significant move from the two companies. Square Enix recently announced that, after some tough financial periods, the company plans to take a path that includes expansion to various platforms and more innovation.
Mobile gaming is China’s biggest platform, so the number of games applying for mobile approval is high. Tencent is not only one of the largest media companies in the world, it's also dominant in video games, so the partnership looks like a strong one.
Square Enix will next be bringing Final Fantasy XIV to Gamescom later this month.
