Final Fantasy NFT release scheduled for 2023

Japanese game publisher Square Enix has announced its plans to launch NFTs featuring the hugely successful title Final Fantasy VII in 2023. 

The NFTs will be tied to two sets of physical products: an action figure of the game’s protagonist Cloud Strife produced by BRING ARTS; and a pack of trading cards produced by ART MUSEUM.

The project was launched in collaboration with Enjin to mark Final Fantasy VII’s 25th anniversary this year. Enjin operates a cryptocurrency platform built on the Polkadot blockchain. 

The action figure set is priced at US$129.99 and is due for release in November 2023. Pre-orders can now be made on the Square Enix Store website. 

There is also a Digital Plus edition which includes a digital file of the figure that can be viewed from 360 degrees on a smartphone or computer, in addition to the physical figure. This edition is priced at US$159.99.

The card pack contains a redeem code for a digital card in the form of an NFT, and six physical trading cards that come from a pool of 207 cards featuring famous scenes, art and visuals from Final Fantasy VII. Of them, 102 are foil premium cards.

The card pack is scheduled for release in spring 2023 and is priced at 440 yen (US$3.2) including tax. 

The NFT project comes amid Square Enix’s growing interest in new technologies such as blockchain and NFTs recently. Earlier this year, the group’s president Yosuke Matsuda expressed enthusiasm about the potential benefits of NFTs and tokenized economies, noting “play-to-contribute” experiences allow players to benefit financially from a game’s success.

Square Enix has sold off a slew of major franchises and some of its game studios, in part to finance its growing crypto industry endeavours.