The mythological role-playing game, in which heroes join forces to save the world in an intricate computer landscape, has been a flagship product for Sony’s PlayStation and Japanese gamemaker SquareEnix.<\/p>\n
The game publisher shipped some 1.8 million units in the latest edition’s first batch alone, the company said.<\/p>\n
Final Fantasy XIII, released three years and nine months after the 12th edition of the game, is for the first time designed to be played on PlayStation 3 (PS3), known for its quality images on Blu-ray discs.<\/p>\n
SquareEnix boasts about the graphical quality and advanced battle systems on the new edition, for which some 350 fans queued before the early-morning release in the Shibuya shopping district alone.<\/p>\n
“I hope the game will perform well in the year-end and New Year holiday season,” said SquareEnix president Yoichi Wada in a statement, adding proudly: “I guarantee the game’s quality.”<\/p>\n
Since the launch of the first edition in 1987, SquareEnix has sold more than 92 million copies of the Final Fantasy series worldwide, attracting game players with its high-definition pictures and mysterious story lines.<\/p>\n
SquareEnix plans to launch the 13th edition in North America and Europe on March 9, both for PS3 and Microsoft game console Xbox 360 for the first time.<\/p>\n
SquareEnix, which also publishes the Dragon Quest hit series, is Japan’s second largest game publisher after Nintendo.<\/p>\n
The latest Final Fantasy is widely expected to boost sales of PS3, which has struggled with the tough price competition from Nintendo’s blockbuster Wii video game console and Xbox 360.<\/p>\n