Square Enix updated the Steam pages of its Final Fantasy 5 and 6 remakes with a message announcing that the two titles are being removed from the popular digital gaming marketplace. After July 27, both Japanese roleplaying games will no longer be purchasable. “Instead, please purchase the pixelated remaster version of “Final Fantasy VI,” coming soon,” Square stated.
The Final Fantasy 5 and 6 remakes were widely panned by fans due to both of them being ports of the mobile version, which were poorly received as well. Redone art and gameplay quirks made the experience inferior to the original versions and the Gameboy Advance ports.
While players are usually quick to disagree with a decision like this, it’s the right way to go about ushering in the new Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection. The mobile-ported remakes on Steam always came off as a cheap cash grab, and their technical inferiority to the new pixelated remasters will push them to the wayside come release.
The move should remove potential confusion for buyers, as the upcoming remake won’t be on shelves with the old version at the same time. This choice from Square gets rid of the middleman and keeps things as simple as possible while hopefully providing a better product.
Now all we have to do is hope that the new pixel remasters turn out better than previous efforts. Thankfully, Square is already taking a step in the right direction by keeping the sprite work intact. However, the lack of a confirmed console release and sparse details have fans worried.
