After years of speculation,Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicleshas finally been confirmed. The game is a remaster of the original 1997 PlayStation release, one of the most influential strategy RPGs of its time. For longtime fans of the genre, this should be cause for celebration, though that feeling of joy has been somewhat damaged by some recent comments from the remaster’s developers.
In aSquare Enix interview, the development team explained that the remaster will not include any content fromFinal Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, the 2007 enhanced PSP version. This means the updated script, animated cutscenes, additional jobs, multiplayer content, and characters like Balthier will be absent, with Square Enix citing the complete loss of original source code as the reason for this decision.
Why Final Fantasy Tactics Is Missing Features
The source code for the originalFinal Fantasy Tacticsno longer exists. As explained in the interview, this loss was not the result of negligence but of the development practices of the 1990s. Localization was handled by overwriting data instead of branching it. Tools for backup and version control were not widely used. With no way to access the underlying code, the team had to rebuildFinal Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chroniclesfrom scratch using existing versions.
This process required developers to play through the original game to identify systems by feel. In some cases, programming was recreated line by line by analyzing surviving builds. While that dedication deserves respect, the reality is thatThe War of the Lionscontent is built on top of data the team no longer has access to. The result is a remaster that offers a modern way to experienceFinal Fantasy Tactics, but not necessarily the most complete version.
The War of the Lionsadded fully voiced, hand-drawn anime cutscenes for several major story events. These may not be fully present in the new remaster.
Why Game Preservation Still Lags Behind
This situation highlights a larger concern in the gaming industry. The loss of master data and source code continues to affect remasters, ports, and even sequels. Accidental damage, outdated storage systems, and business closures have erased irreplaceable assets. Sometimes the original creators are no longer around or ownership of the code is in legal limbo. Thankfully, there are initiatives like theGOG’s Game Preservation Programattempting to combat this.
Without source code, re-releasing old games becomes guesswork. Projects can take years longer and require extra resources just to recreate what already existed. Even companies as large asSquare Enix and Konamihave admitted to these struggles of game preservation.
WhenKingdom Heartswas remastered for HD platforms, Square Enix had to rebuild the first game using retail discs because it had lost the development files.
The gaming community has seen other casualties.Panzer Dragoon Saga, and early Capcom arcade games all suffer from limited access because of poor archival practices. This makes every successful remaster without source code a rare and precarious effort.
Final Fantasy Tactics Is Still Worth Preserving
Despite the missing content,Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chroniclesstill matters. It marks the first time the original version of the game will be playable on modern platforms without the use of emulation or handhelds. The tactical depth, character class system, and political storytelling remain untouched. These strengths haveinspired other games such asTactics Ogre: RebornandTriangle Strategy.
For returning fans, this version may feel incomplete, but it still presents the opportunity to experience the foundation of Ivalice’s mythos. For new players drawn in byFinal Fantasy 16orFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth, it provides a window into one of the franchise’s most ambitious spin-offs.
More importantly, the transparency fromSquare Enix suggests a growing awareness of the importance of retro gamepreservation. While it is disappointing thatThe War of the Lionscannot be part of this release, acknowledging the limitations and still committing to the project is better than lettingFinal Fantasy Tacticsvanish from the modern landscape entirely.
