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This year Lucca Comics & Games, which draws almost 250,000 guests, will really have something for everyone.

Michael Pena and Diego Luna of Netflix’s “Narcos,” Marvel Comics’ editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski, executive producer of videogame “Kingdom Hearts III” Shinji Hashimoto, “The Crow” creator James O’Barr, former Ferrari racer Jean Alesi and manga master Leiji Matsumoto are among the featured guests expected to be on hand at the event, which runs Oct. 31-Nov. 4 within the Tuscan town’s medieval walls.

This ever-evolving pop culture convention, now in its 52nd year, covers a wide range of events and their worlds precisely because it “mixes Renaissance heritage with pop culture and creative industries,” says Lucca Comics & Games director Emanuele Vietina, who says that many sectors — movies and TV series, printed comics, book publishing and audiobooks, music, video games and eSports — are “all represented [at Lucca] at the top levels.”

Lucca’s filmed entertainment section, which comprises...

Matthew Byrd Oct 9, 2018

What we know about Left Alive, including latest news, release date, trailers, and much more!

Square Enix is working on a new mech shooter called Left Alive, which shares certain elements with the Front Mission universe. In an interview with Weekly Famitsu, producer Shinji Hashimoto stated that "We wanted to make a Front Mission with a new lineup. We started this new title to see Front Mission in a slightly different perspective."

In that same article, Square Enix members noted that Left Alive takes place in the year 2127. That means it occurs sometime between the events of Front Mission 5 and Front Mission Evolved. Additionally, the studio said that Left Alive will feature three playable characters that players will bounce between at certain points in the game's story and that the mechs from Front Mission - called Wanzers - will be featured throughout the game.

Still, it doesn't...

"Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep" recently got an official launch date for September, along with some officially announced voice-acting talent in the form of Leonard Nimoy and Mark Hamill. Show up to wherever Square Enix may be talking about that game at E3 this year, though, and you very well may run into the franchise's creator Tetsuya Nomura, as he seems to have penciled a trip to Los Angeles into his June schedule.

"Next week, after a long time, Director Nomura will go on a business trip to E3," Square Enix senior vice president Shinji Hashimoto wrote via Twitter, according to a translation on Siliconera.

Nomura won't lack any timely and publicly known Kingdom Hearts topics to discuss with everyone he runs into at E3, but just the same, he may be worth keeping an eye on as he walks around to meetings and perhaps a podium or two. If...

We all know what Final Fantasy is. And those of us that played it have a favorite in the series. It just so happens that my personal favorite is Final Fantasy IX, and it’s almost ready for PlayStation Network.

In early April, Square Enix Members Twitter page revealed the development. Square’s Shinji Hashimoto has since Twittered that the development of Final Fantasy IX has wrapped. Pricing and the actual release date still haven’t been revealed yet, but we can hopefully expect more information next week.

I, for one, am excited. It’s no argument that all the Final Fantasy games made for the original PlayStation were a hit. Psn already has Final Fantasy VII and VIII available for download. What does this mean for the future of the rest of the Final Fantasy games? Can we expect to see Final Fantasy X, originally on PlayStation 2, in the future?...

Today is the day Final Fantasy IX fans have been waiting for. Square Enix producer Shinji Hashimoto promised an update on the release at some point today via his Twitter account.

Earlier today Hashimoto tweeted the following:

“Today is the day. I’m waiting for contact from the CEO’s office. Everyone wait just a bit more.”

Then, about thirteen hours ago, the Square Enix Twitter account posted a video confirming the release. Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada himself stars in the six second clip, but has no information on the price or release date.

Final Fantasy IX easily ranks as one of my favorite RPGs, and it’s great that it will get the Psn treatment like VII and VIII received. If you haven’t played it, then this is a great opportunity.

How does Ffix rank in your favorite RPGs list, Ranters? We’ll be posting more information...

Square Enix is exploring the possibility of reissuing PSOne RPG Final Fantasy IX via Psn. According to producer Shinji Hashimoto, the studio has been gathering feedback on whether fans would like to see the game appear on the digital storefront. "Thanks to everyone for your opinions on FF9," Hasimoto wrote on Square Enix's Twitter feed. "Regarding an FF9 download release, everyone is so (more)...

Since I only started playing the series after Final Fantasy made the jump from Nintendo to Sony, Final Fantasy IX was my introduction to Black Mages, Dragoons, and a number of things that Final Fantasy fans had long been acquainted with. So as the PlatStation Network releas Final Fantasy VII and VIII, I began waiting for a release of IX. It’s taken a bit longer than I imagined, but it sounds like things are finally in the works.

Shinji Hashimoto, a producer for Square Enix, has been actively discussing Final Fantasy IX with fans over the past few days. Then, in a Tweet posted today he said:

“Thanks to everyone for your opinions on FF9. Regarding an FF9 download release, everyone is so passionate about it that I’ll be proposing it at the next board meeting. Look forward to next week!”

While I wouldn’t expect a release as soon as next week,...