Xenogears 2 Was One More Victim of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within's Epochal Failure
Xenogears 2 died for Spirits Within, much like how Chu-Chu died for your sins.
Xenogears is a 1998 RPG Squaresoft developed for the PlayStation before it merged with Enix and became Square Enix. Popular descriptors for Xenogears' story and characters include "odd," "weirdly deep," and "A never-ending episode of Neon Genesis Evangelion." Xenogears' oddities might be what's kept fans interested in idea of a sequel for 20 years. Turns out that sequel was strongly considered, but ultimately canned because Squaresoft was busy with its movie, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.
The June 4 issue of Weekly Famitsu contains an interview with Monolith Soft's co-founder and executive producer, Hirohide Sugiura. Frontline Gaming Japan translated and summarized the interview, which reveals plans were made for Xenogears 2, but nothing was brought to fruition because Squaresoft was funneling most of its resources into The Spirits Within.
Sugiura wasn't part of the original Xenogears team, but he "fell in love" with the game upon playing it. He broke away from Squaresoft and joined Monolith Soft, an independent development studio founded by Xenogears creator, Takahashi Tetsuya. They hoped to make Xenogears 2 happen in some capacity.
The Xenosaga series was born of this wish, and it set the tone for a lot of Monolith Soft's games: Ambitious, wildly imaginative, and flawed. Nintendo bought Monolith Soft in 2007, and the studio's since released the beloved (and also flawed) Xenoblade games. The latest entry, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is a strong update of the first Xenoblade game, which hit the Wii in 2010.
If by chance you've been looking for someone to blame for not receiving a direct follow-up to Xenogears—well, there you go. Blame Squaresoft and its box office disaster, The Spirits Within. It brought in $85.1 million on a budget of $137 million, and its failure was a big disaster for Squaresoft. A merger with Enix followed in 2003.
USgamer Editor-in-Chief Kat Bailey and I recently wondered aloud if the original Xenogears deserves a remake. The verdict: Yes. Will it happen, though? Hey, it's 2020. Anything can happen.
In other news
Mass Effect Trilogy Remaster Reportedly Set for Next Year, Without Multiplayer
The Legendary Edition will reportedly have all the DLC and no MP.
13
Microsoft's ZeniMax Acquisition Pushes Xbox Game Pass Into Overdrive
THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS | Microsoft's plan to change the way we play games received a considerable boost this week, but what happens if it works?
4
Nier Replicant's Remaster Will Arrive Next April
Rediscover where Nier started.
2
Baldur's Gate 3 Backs Up Its Early Access One More Week
Baldur's gonna be just a little late.
3
Need help?
Witcher 3: How to Start the Blood and Wine DLC and Meet Its Level Requirements
We explain how to get to Toussaint and what level you should be when you do.
Witcher 3: All the Correct Play Lines in "The Play's the Thing" Quest
We explain how to perform the Doppler's play with Priscilla, as well as whether to choose tragedy or comedy.
Pokemon Sword and Shield Mystery Gift Codes List (January 2020)
You can get free gifts in Pokemon Sword and Shield by entering certain Mystery Gift Codes. Here’s a full list of all the active codes available right now.
The Outer Worlds Shrink Ray - How to Get the Unique Shrink Ray Science Weapon
This is where you can get the Shrink Ray science weapon in The Outer Worlds, one of the unique weapons in the game.
Newsletter
Subscribe to our weekly newsletters
Get the best of USG in your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters.