The director of Final Fantasy Type-0 HD has moved to address the lack of a multiplayer component in the hotly anticipated JRPG title.
Speaking during an AMA session on Reddit (via powerupgaming), Hajime Tabata admitted that the online aspect of the original PlayStation Portable version was “too difficult” to port over to current-generation formats.
"In the original PSP version, we used the adhoc mode for the multiplayer feature. So trying to include that in the HD version would require creating a system to match players over a server and we felt that it would be difficult to include that in the HD version. I’m sorry,” he commented.
Pleasingly, Tabata-san confirmed that all multiplayer-related side quests and rewards "remain in the game and are obtainable.”
He also touched base as to why Square Enix opted not to release Type-0 HD for the PlayStation Vita, seeing as how it was released in Japan on the handheld’s predecessor, the PSP.
"I wanted everyone to be able to play the game on a large high-definition screen. Honestly, my eyesight’s getting worse, so it’s getting difficult to see things on a smaller screen. I’ve seen some questions about why Type-0 isn’t being released on the Vita while X/X-2 HD saw a Vita release. The reason is that the X/X-2 HD Remaster was developed on a PS3/Xbox 360 environment, while Type-0 HD was developed on a PS4/Xbox One environment. So there is a great difference in the technical specs and it would not be easy to export the data to the Vita."
Final Fantasy Type-0 HD will be released on March 17 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.