Rumors of a Final Fantasy Tactics remaster have circulated ever since the big Nvidia leak back in 2021, with series creator Yasumi Matsuno wondering aloud if the team should rebalance the infamously broken Thunder God Cid. Now Matsuno is going on record to say that there are “no plans” for the hotly-requested remaster.
Currently, there are no plans for remastering.
Also, you have to convey your request to SQEX, not me.
Thank you for your understanding.— 松野泰己🐈⬛ (@YasumiMatsuno) November 29, 2023
“Currently, there are no plans for remastering,” Matsuno said in a post on X/Twitter posted on November 28. “Also, you have to convey your request to Square Enix, not me. Thank you for your understanding.”
Matsuno, who led the team that created the original Final Fantasy Tactics for PlayStation, was responding to a fan requesting a progression system for the Ultima spell. Matsuno left Square Enix in 2005, but he has remained involved with Final Fantasy over the years, among other things crafting content for Final Fantasy XIV and working on 2022’s Tactics Ogre remaster. He currently runs Algebra Factory, a company dedicated to “planning, screenplay, and production.”
We ranked Final Fantasy Tactics at #1 in our list of the 10 best tactics RPGs, writing, “Somber, triumphant, and still one-of-a-kind, Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions wins its spot as our best tactics RPG of all time.”
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Final Fantasy Tactics fans have been calling out for a remaster due its relative lack of availability on modern consoles. It was remastered for PlayStation Portable in 2007, with an iOS release arriving in 2011. Otherwise, it is very difficult to play what is considered one of gaming’s foundational tactics RPGs.
With The Game Awards set to kick off next week, we’ll see whether Square Enix has any tricks up its sleeve, but based on Matsuno’s comments, it seems that series fans shouldn’t hold their breath.
Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.