Square Enix reveals E3 lineup, teases 'Next generation of Final Fantasy'

Square Enix announced a slate of upcoming games appearing at E3 next week, headed up by a pair of high-profile Final Fantasy releases.

Throughout E3, Square Enix will show off Final Fantasy XIII's concluding chapter Lightning Returns, along with the relaunched MMORPG A Realm Reborn: Final Fantasy XIV. The company also teases "a first look at the next generation of Final Fantasy," a statement that does not seem to refer to either FFXIV or Lightning Returns. Further details, however, are not yet available.

Other games appearing at Square Enix's booth include Eidos Montreal's Thief reboot and the "mystery thriller" Murdered: Soul Suspect. The Deus Ex series will occupy its share of booth space with the Wii U-exclusive Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut and the recently announced iOS sequel Deus Ex: The Fall.

The HD remakes Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD ReMIX and Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster will also appear at Square Enix's E3 booth from June 11 through 13. Square Enix's full press release is Shown below:

Diverse Lineup Highlighted by Signature Franchises, Compelling New Properties and Expanding Platforms

First Look at the Next Generation of FINAL FANTASY

LONDON (June 6, 2013) –Square Enix today announced its broad spectrum of next-generation and current generation console, PC and mobile game products to be unveiled during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2013, June 11-13 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Booth #1647. The company's portfolio features new games from signature franchises, a re-imagined classic along with compelling new properties.

FINAL FANTASY®, one of the most successful game franchises of all time, will have a dominant presence in the publisher's booth with both FINAL FANTASY® XIV: A Realm Reborn™, a stunning massively multiplayer online role playing game that will enable players to create their own FINAL FANTASY adventure, and LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII, the epic conclusion to the series. Square Enix will also unveil the first look at the next-generation of FINAL FANTASY.

THIEF™ is the reinvention of a classic franchise that allows players to step into the silent shoes of Garrett, a dark and solitary thief with an unrivaled set of skills. The most challenging heists, the most inaccessible loots, the best kept secrets: nothing is out of Garrett's reach. The mystery thriller Murdered: Soul Suspect™ will haunt attendees as an entirely new game property where the main character travels through both a modern day Salem, Massachusetts and a ghost world to solve his own murder. Square Enix will also introduce DEUS EX®: THE FALL™, the new installment of the award winning DEUS EX series. Additional mobile and tablet games will also be at E3.

"Square Enix continues to show its global creative presence like no other game publisher with products from its internal studios around the world as well as key partners," said Yosuke Matsuda, representative director of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. "As the industry continues to diversify and expand Square Enix is poised to lead that change with products showcased at this year's E3."

Along with hands-on demonstrations of many games, E3 attendees will be able to experience exclusive theater presentations for FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn, THIEF and Murdered: Soul Suspect.

For the audience not attending E3, Square Enix will host an innovative live online broadcast from its booth, allowing the publisher's passionate community to get a sneak peak at the new titles' content and interact with Square Enix developers. Viewers worldwide will be able to tune in for the duration of the show (June 11 to June 13, 2013) for a unique insider's perspective into Square Enix at the show. For a full schedule please visit:

YouTube: www.youtube.com/squareenixpresents
Twitter: https://twitter.com/@squareenix
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SquareEnix

The announced E3 lineup for Square Enix:

Consoles and PC

FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn

FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn is the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) to have been completely rebuilt from the ground up with a focus on all systems, gameplay and player experience. FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn invites players to explore the realm of Eorzea with friends from around the world.

Platforms: PlayStation®3 system, Windows® PC
Developer: Square Enix Co., Ltd.
Available: August 27

THIEF

THIEF is the reinvention of the classic franchise that allows players to take on the role of Garrett, the Master Thief. As the tide is about to turn in the City, Garrett, takes cover amidst the growing uprising and sneaks into the Baron's manor to steal his most prized possession.

Platforms: PlayStation®4 system, Xbox One®, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, Windows PC
Developer: Eidos-Montréal (A Square Enix Company)
Available: 2014

MURDERED: SOUL SUSPECT

The hardest case to solve is one's own murder. Murdered: Soul Suspect takes players into a whole new realm of mystery where the case is personal and the clues just out of reach. When Ronan O'Connor, a detective with a checkered past, gets caught up in a violent burglary, his life is brought to an untimely end by a brutal and relentless killer. Shocked to find himself in the afterlife, his only escape from the limbo world of 'Dusk' is to uncover the truth behind his killer, track him down and bring him to justice using his detective instinct and newfound supernatural abilities.

Platforms: Xbox 360® games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 system, Windows PC
Developer: Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Airtight Games
Available: Early 2014

LIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII
As Lightning, it is your mission to save souls so they may be brought to a new world. However, with only thirteen days remaining, not everyone can be saved. Armed with all-new weapons, player customization and battle abilities, you are in a race against time to fully understand your destiny. It all ends here.

Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system
Developer: Square Enix Co., Ltd.
Available: February 14, 2014

KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 ReMIX

Fully remastered in high-def, KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 ReMIX is a compilation of the critically acclaimed KINGDOM HEARTS FINAL MIX and KINGDOM HEARTS Re:Chain of Memories titles. Players can now relive the origins of the celebrated franchise with Sora, Riku and the colorful cast of Disney characters, including Mickey, Donald and Goofy.

Platform: PlayStation®3 system
Developer: Square Enix Co., Ltd.
Available: September 13 (Europe)

DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION® - DIRECTOR'S CUT

DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION - DIRECTOR'S CUT is the enhanced return to one of the most critically acclaimed video game franchises of all time. By offering players the chance to advance through the game in multiple and vastly different ways, DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION - DIRECTOR'S CUT provides an experience where every choice has a lasting consequence. Director's Cut features include visual improvements, overhauled boss fights, reinforced combat mechanics and much more making it the ultimate HUMAN REVOLUTION experience.

Platform: Nintendo Wii U™
Developer: Eidos-Montréal (A Square Enix Company)
Available: 2013

FINAL FANTASY X/X-2 HD Remaster

FINAL FANTASY X/X-2 HD Remaster takes players into the adventures of Tidus and Yuna in beautifully remastered high definition.

Platforms: PlayStation®3 system, PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system
Available: 2013

Mobile and Tablet

DEUS EX: THE FALL

DEUS EX: THE FALL is the next chapter of the award winning DEUS EX series. Developed by Square Enix Ltd. in collaboration with the original DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION team at Eidos-Montréal and N-Fusion, DEUS EX: THE FALL is a story driven action-RPG and the first DEUS EX in the series to be released on mobile and tablet devices.

Platform: iOS
Developer: Square Enix Ltd./ Eidos-Montréal/ N-Fusion
Available: Summer

MINI NINJAS®

Mini Ninjas is the first mobile and tablet game in the action adventure franchise. Based on authentic ninja values, this beautiful, fast-paced game takes players on an epic journey, free from gruesome violence and high on Ninja fun. Hiro and his Mini Ninja friends run, jump and slash their way through spellbound lands to retrieve the stolen artefact from the dragon.

Platform: iOS, Android
Developer: Magic Pockets SAS
Available: Now

About Square Enix Ltd.　

Square Enix Ltd., a part of the Square Enix Europe business unit, develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix Group. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as IO Interactive™, Crystal Dynamics® and Eidos Montréal. The Square Enix Group boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 100 million units worldwide, DRAGON QUEST® which has sold over 61 million units worldwide and TOMB RAIDER® which has sold over 35 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.

More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found at http://www.square-enix.com/eu/en/.

E3 2013 | What To Expect From Microsoft, Sony & Nintendo

E3 2013 is going to be utterly insane. With the next console generation breathing down our necks, the 'Big Three' of Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are going head to head in a battle for hearts, minds and pre-orders. Coy digs will be taken. Terrible teleprompted jokes will be cracked. Dubstep will reign supreme.
Sadly, I won't be attending personally this year (of all years, argh!), but I've danced this dance enough times to know broadly what to expect from the all-important press conferences scheduled for June 10th. Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo will use this platform to address us directly; showing us exclusives, revealing entirely new franchises and confirming third-party support. We've pieced together everything we know so far, as well as our own experiences at E3 from previous years, to present you with a comprehensive breakdown of what the three console manufacturers will bring to the table.
Note that the following article is one part confirmed fact, two parts informed guesswork and a soupçon of rampant drooling speculation. I've endeavoured to make it clear which is which - and of course, there'll still be plenty of surprises along the way!

Microsoft (June 10th, 17:30 GMT)

Let's start with the Redmond heavyweight, since they'll be holding their press conference first and have been making headlines aplenty over the last fortnight. Microsoft will look to supplement (and in many ways, make up for) the Xbox One's entertainment-loaded reveal event with a presentation concentrating on games, exclusives, DLC announcements and features.

After a brief hardware recap about Kinect and the new controller, accompanied by a montage of developer interviews, we can expect Microsoft to get down to business. We'll see more of the previously-announced Forza 5 and Quantum Break, alongside perhaps another small showing from EA Sports - who will naturally save much of the detail for their own E3 briefing. We'll undoubtedly get a look at Ryse, Crytek's Kinect hack & slasher, and another SmartGlass demonstration. I'd be surprised if Activision didn't turn up to show some live Call Of Duty: Ghosts code, too, which was noticeably absent from their schizophrenic developer diary that mainly focused on cute dogs and clever fish.
Then we come to the new stuff, at which point, I need to segue from dead certs to a bit of jigsaw-esque guesswork.

Rare are supposedly bringing a "historic IP" along to E3. Killer Instinct rumours have been doing the rounds for months, but a recent titillating report suggests that another Banjo & Kazooie title might make an appearance. Maybe both. Rare may be a shadow of their former selves, but have the manpower to develop multiple games in tandem. Another sports game would probably be a good fit as a Kinect 2.0 tech demo too.
Black Tusk, one of Microsoft's first-party studios, will likely reveal their debut franchise (rumoured to be a Sci-Fi shooter), while another Crackdown title from Ruffian would be an absolute blinder and a breath of fresh air. Fable 4 is looking increasingly likely, not least because new forums have opened and an HD remake of the original Fable has been confirmed for Christmas. Coincidence? Not likely.

More outlandish reports suggest that Dead Rising 3 could well make an appearance as a timed exclusive, alongside sequel showings from Mirror's Edge 2, Prey 2, Homefront 2, Dark Souls 2 and even Beyond Good & Evil 2 of all things. Grab a pinch of salt, but I'd love to see that happen. Respawn Studios are rumoured to be working on an Xbox-exclusive shooter, which might make its debut, along with some Kinect-enabled family games from first and third parties.
Oh, and a Halo 5 tease probably wouldn't go amiss either.

The Xbox 360 will also get a little loving. We've been promised a "huge" announcement, which one of our readers (stevenjameshyde) suggested could well be some timed exclusive DLC for GTA V, in keeping with the precedent set by GTA IV.
Many questions will go unanswered, mind. The glitzy bombastic E3 presentation probably isn't the right platform for discussing the Used Game debacle, which will likely be cleared up by subsequent press releases and interviews. There's also a 50/50 chance of getting a firm RRP - though it would be great to receive solid pricing details, this could overplay their hand if Sony doesn't follow suit later that day.
Speaking of Sony...

Sony (June 11th, 02:00 GMT)

Sony are currently enjoying a strong position, having secured the PlayStation 4's role as a dedicated games machine directed squarely at a savvy gaming audience. Following a great big dubstep montage (there's always a great big dubstep montage) of current-gen and next-gen footage, Sony will probably start by showing us what the PS4 actually looks like.
As always, the crowd will cheer uproariously.

Once the applause dies down and we get a little hardware recap, Sony's conference will be more about consolidation than megaton reveals. Killzone: Shadow Fall will almost certainly get another live demo, while gameplay footage - if not live code - will break cover for DriveClub and InFamous: Second Son. We'll get another look at Knack, perhaps, alongside a couple of surprises from Sony's first-party studios. Personally, I'd love Naughty Dog to reveal something (possibly Uncharted 4), and Sony Santa Monica to at least tease a new direction for God Of War (Egyptian Gods please!) if not an entirely new franchise.

Sony's massive support for indie studios will likely lead to a bit of a PSN showcase, both for next and current-gen. Some enthusiastic auteurs will probably bound onto the stage or screen, keen to discuss their wares and stress how supportive Sony have been in terms of securing funding and an open platform to develop on.
In terms of Third Party participants, Bungie have RSVP'd to deliver the true Destiny reveal we've all been waiting for. Activision could well let us scope out Diablo III, while some other major titles will likely use the event as a springboard. Square Enix have promised a major reveal, which could well be Final Fantasy Versus XIII, and we can expect some other surprises from left-field. Ubisoft might also turn up for a bit to stress their support, as they've frequently done in years past, and talk about some exclusive content.

The PS3 will get some serious attention. With titles like Gran Turismo VI, Beyond: Two Souls and Rain in the pipeline, it's clear that there's still much to discuss on the current-gen front. PlayStation Vita will probably play a minor role, perhaps with confirmation that all PS4 titles will support Remote Play functionality. This could well be the opening salvo, though we'll have to wait and see.

Sony will probably be keen to demonstrate that the PS4 is also capable of being an entertainment device by confirming some participating TV/streaming providers (likely a slide full of logos) and a deeper look at the social media Share button in action. We may also get some details about how PlayStation Plus will work going into the next-generation, though this could be saved for GamesCom and a more region-specific show.
The Last Guardian also reared its perpetually-delayed head recently, but you absolutely shouldn't get your hopes up. It will be interesting to see whether Team ICO's long-awaited title will move to the PS4, however. Whenever that happens.

Again, beyond the odd coy comment, we probably won't get a firm 'yay or nay' about used games regulation, but we'd love to be proven wrong. If Sony actually plans to foster an open ecosystem, an explicit confirmation would deal their rival a killer blow (that said, they'd probably have already confirmed it by now if they had nothing to hide). Pricing - especially European RRP - may also be withheld until GamesCom.

Nintendo (June 11th, 15:00 GMT)

Rather than being stuck between a next-gen rock and a hard place, Nintendo's decision to hold a global Nintendo direct livestream on June 11th instead of a full-on presentation seems inspired if a little risky (being that their major challenge is still reaching the mainstream audience who don't follow gaming news).
Put simply: we expect Mario.

Three Mario games in fact. Judging by a recent tweet, we'll receive firm details (and hopefully footage) of a Wii U Mario Kart, the next Super Smash Bros. and a brand new 3D Mario game designed exclusively for the system. A new Zelda title has been heavily tipped - reported to be one of the biggest and most labour-intensive games Nintendo has ever produced - and chances are Yoshi will take us on a tour of his upcoming island. Without wanting to sound too impatient, Retro Studios are also long overdue to reveal what the heck they've been working on these past few years.
On the second and third party fronts, we can expect to see much more of Bayonetta 2 and The Wonderful 101, and potentially a full reveal of Monolith Soft's mysterious "X." Since it's either a prequel or sequel to Xenoblade Chronicles, one of the best JRPGs ever made, we can't help but hope for a drool-inducing gawk at the first properly next-gen roleplaying game. With luck, the Fire Emblem x Shin Megami Tensei crossover will also break cover.
We suspect that Nintendo will try to keep the focus on the Wii U as much as possible, with the 3DS only getting a brief mention. Since their handheld has been dominating Nintendo Direct broadcasts of late, it's probably time that the home console got a stint in the spotlight - perhaps even a new hardware line and the phasing out of the lacklustre 8GB Basic edition?
Some pleasant surprises would be nice. As a Starwing (sorry American readers, but I'll always call it that) fan, it'd be great to see a brand new take on the franchise, while Samus needs to strut her bounty hunting stuff. However, more surprises would be very welcome indeed - new IPs, new mascots and an attempt to breathe life into the slightly stuffy Nintendo roster. Preferably from smaller studios and even plenty of indies thanks to their arrangement with Unity. Don't, erm, bet on it though.
It's easy to doomsling, but since Microsoft mishandled their reveal event in terms of core audience appeal, Nintendo's box that plays good games could well position itself cleverly as a cut-price alternative.  There's an opportunity here, but Nintendo needs to seize it with both hands to avoid a bit of a sales rout this Christmas, and third party developers ignoring the platform out of hand. No pressure, then.