Split-screen: "Not that Square-Enix actually put up a big banner saying so, but any one who even slightly cringed at the whiny shenanigans of Final Fantasy XIII's voice cast will doubtless agree: This game would have been better with just a Japanese VO (voice over) and subtitles rather than the team going the whole hog with an English localization."
» Read More 

TGS has a bunch of Final Fantasy XIII stuff on display, including the all-new Final Fantasy XIII "Lightning Edition" white and pink PS3 Slim.

Everyone's seen that already thanks to the promotional photos - but next to it in its TGS display is a Final Fantasy XIII box with what could be the box art.

It's different to usual Final Fantasy boxes in Japan, abandoning the simplistic logo on a white background instead going for Lightning riding Odin's horse.
» Read More 

Square-Enix have updated their Final Fantasy XIII official website to reveal that the trailer shown recently at TGS will be available online in 3 days.
» Read More 

From Gameswire: "Square has unveiled a limited edition Final Fantasy XIII PS3, due to go on sale later this year.

"Dubbed the Lightning Edition, The 250GB Slim model – which has been given a rather fetching pink-on-white FFXIII theme – is due to go on sale in Japan alongside the game on 17 December, and will be available in strictly limited amounts.

"Although the exact number of consoles has yet to be revealed, we do know the price: JPY 41,600, or GBP 285/USD 460. Not that it's likely to ever be released outside of Japan."
» Read More 

IGN: "With Kaz Hirai's Keynote speech behind us, we've moved on to the Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Conference. We'll be live blogging the event starting at 9:30PM Pacific Standard Time or 12:30 AM Eastern Standard time in the United States."
» Read More 

FinalFantasy-XIII.net: The Final Fantasy XIII demo from the Premiere Party is at TGS for the public to play and thankfully, someone has sneaked a camera into Square's booth bringing us a preview of a new FMV and some gameplay including Lightning and Hope.
» Read More 

Square-Enix is keeping a good lock on Final Fantasy XIII. With the release hitting later this winter, Square-Enix still won't share all the details about the game.
» Read More 

Gamesthirst writes: Famitsu is usually accurate when it provides sales forecast for upcoming games. So don't be surprised if their latest prediction is laser sharp. Famitsu sees about 1million copies of Final Fantasy 13 flying off store shelves all across Japan, in the first week of the game's release on December 17th 2009. This comes as no surprise, as Final Fantasy is Japan's GTA, or their Halo, or whatever. But with estimates like these, it's hard to ignore the potential PS3 sales boost that'll undoubtedly follow suit.
» Read More 

But it's not what you think! Rather than another full entry in the Fabula Nova Crystallis anthology, Episode Zero is a set of stories that lead up to the events of FF13, to be released online seperately and likely in a physical form at a later date.

Now residing within the "Special" section of the Final Fantasy XIII official website, the story - full title Episode Zero: Promise - is to be penned by Jun Eishima, who has worked on the FF series in the past.

The first episode of the story is to be titled "Encounter" and will be available to read online soon. Square Enix declined to comment to UFFSite on the possibility of an English translation and release of the stories.
» Read More 

4 videos of the Final Fantasy XIII's Premiere Party speeches have been posted on Gametrailers.com: the release date announcement, the Final Fantasy XIII elixir announcement and the 2 speeches of Kaz Hirai and Yoshinori Kitase/Motomu Toriyama. Sadly the videos don't include any new footage but they include a rather surprising announcement that was misunderstood by several gaming sites:

Yoshinori Kitase:

"In the past it would be six months to almost a year after the initial release in Japan, so we're hoping to narrow the margin down. We hope it will only be three months after the Japanese release."

With English translations and voice acting as well as French and German translation already completed, I think this is highly possible. Of course Square Enix said in the past that the game needs to be released after April 2010 to fit in their fiscal year but for such a big title they might make an exception isn't it?
» Read More 

FinalFantasy-XIII.net: Shonen Jump's latest issue contains a feature on Final Fantasy XIII's newly announced character, Serah Farron. The scan contains a new render of her as well as several new in-game screenshot featuring her and other characters.
» Read More 

Details of the backstory of FF13's latest party member Serah have hit the web, including her surname and voice actress, relation to Lighting, love affair with Snow and status as a L'Cie.
» Read More 

It seems impossible to keep secrets any more. Even Square Enix bowed before the weight of international expectation for Final Fantasy XIII, with fans discovering its Japanese release date before the September 8 'Premiere Party' at which the company had intended to reveal it.

No matter. The giant succeeded with its first intention, with president Yoichi Wada confirming that the game, four years in the making so far, would indeed see release in Japan before the end of the year. December 17, to be exact.

The price? An indomitable 9240 yen (£62/US$102). After PS3 game Gundam Senki, releasing earlier this month at 8379 yen, it seemed yet more confirmation that publishers are steadily raising game prices. Not that it was any surprise to the assembled crowd at the Miraikan science museum in Tokyo, of course. Japanese bloggers already knew about it because they'd noticed on the Square Enix website that changing the address of the page announcing the event from 'before' to 'after' would reveal all.
» Read More 

Nick @ PS3Center writes:

Famitsu magazine publisher Enterbrain is expecting big things from the PS3 this holiday season in Japan. Enterbrain president Hirokazu Hamamura told press earlier today that he expected 500,000 PS3s to be sold in December off of the release of Final Fantasy XIII and the reduced price of the PS3 game console.
» Read More 

Sony actually shot two videos with Hong Kong pop star, Theresa, dressed up like Lightning. This video is part of a series of summer shorts where PlayStation products are paired up with bikini models.
» Read More 

FinalFantasy-XIII.net: The latest issue of Famitsu has been released in China and it contains a brand new Final Fantasy XIII feature inside. The scans sum up most of the media shown at the Final Fantasy XIII Premiere.
» Read More 

A Youtube user went to the Final Fantasy XIII premiere party event and posted footage of his game play on Youtube.
» Read More 

Advanced sales for Square Enix Holdings Co.'s Final Fantasy XIII for Sony Corp.'s Playstation 3 leaped to the No. 1 rank at Japan retail following disclosure of a Dec. release date this week.
» Read More 

Japanese gaming stores are getting taken over by Final Fantasy XIII for PS3 after the launch date has been announced - Lightning is everywhere!

Photos are starting to come out of Japan picturing some pretty awesome posters featuring Lightning and the launch date, often positioned next to PS3 Slim bundles so FF fans can pick up the console before they get the game.

Square Enix and Sony both have high hopes for FF13 in Japan, and with preorders now open how much of an impact the game will have on PS3 sales will begin to come clear.
» Read More 

As a summer promo, Sony shot a series of PlayStation shorts in Hong Kong. Theresa, a local pop star, was recruited as a host and in this clip she's dressed up like Lightning from Final Fantasy XIII.
» Read More