In a surprising turn of events for the typically elusive and production-cycle-heavy Square Enix, we have not only received word that the direct sequel to last year’s blockbuster path-following simulator RPG will be out in less than a year in Japan, but now the PlayStation Blog has made it clear that we will be seeing Final Fantasy XIII-2 in the US and Europe next winter.
Not much information has been released yet regarding the content of the sequel, as we discussed in the announcement post, but it is safe to assume the engine will remain virtually identical, with some of the greatest overhauls coming in the form of improvements over the prequel.
Along with the winter reveal, Square Enix has officially released the first screenshot from the game, showing our hero Lightning with an enormous sword, in true Final Fantasy style:
The first glimpse into the continuation of Lightning’s story is presented in a leaked trailer for the game. It’s not much, but hopefully it will tide fans over until they can see the game in action and let everyone know if Square Enix really is listening to its audience.
Before watching, know that there are MAJOR SPOILERS in the beginning of this trailer, as it basically shows the final cutscene from Final Fantasy XIII. Skip ahead to 0:40 seconds in if you haven’t finished the game yet.
