Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Remastered is Getting a Slew of Updates and Fixes

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition is a disappointment. Square Enix made its multiplayer aspect online-only, even though the GameCube original was crafted and sold as a robust local co-op experience. There are also myriad technical problems in some parts of the world: Bugs and server overloads have made it impossible for many players in Australia and New Zealand to play Crystal Chronicles Remastered online.

Those of us who've been looking for a chance to finally experience this warm, whimsical game are now feeling a little cold and deflated. To Square Enix's credit, it's already trying to make things right. Earlier today, it published an apology and message that outlines the steps it'll take to make Crystal Chronicles Remastered more enjoyable.

"I must apologize for the delay in making an announcement about the situation. I also make my sincerest apologies for the inconvenience caused during play," says Crystal Chronicles Remastered director Araki Ryoma. Ryoma goes on to outline what's coming, including "rapid updates" to fix the game's bugs and connectivity issues. These fixes are set to be rolled out across September. Specific dates will be set once they're finalized.

Bug fixes are clearly Square Enix's first priority, but what comes next? Ryoma's message doesn't reference the poor decision to take local multiplayer out of Crystal Chronicles Remastered, but further fixes are planned for the adventure. "We are also looking into making further updates in addition to those detailed above, once we have reviewed player feedback, and will make further announcements once the update content has been finalized," Ryoma says. He finishes the note by asking for everyone's patience while "we try to put things right."

It's not uncommon for Square Enix to tidy up a game after a bad launch. It eventually fixed the wretched PC port of Chrono Trigger, and there's no greater "snatched from the jaws of death" story than the revival of Final Fantasy 14 via the A Realm Reborn upgrade. Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Remastered suffered a weak launch, but I welcome Square Enix's efforts to make it more playable.