Operation Backlog Completion 2026

Key Art Revealed for Episode Ardyn’s Prequel Anime

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Dec 142018
 

Sorry for not posting on Wednesday; I was temporarily without Internet access.

Anyway, Square Enix has revealed the logo and key art for Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ardyn Prologue, the prequel anime to Episode Ardyn…

…which means this is a prequel to a prequel.

When the other remaining DLC episodes were cancelled, Square Enix announced that Episode Ardyn would take place 30 years before Final Fantasy XV, and an animated prologue would show his reasons for wanting revenge.

This short anime, therefore, should cover the events I actually wanted to see in Episode Ardyn, especially with that savior-like silhouette in the logo.

The key art shows three characters: Ardyn, Somnus Lucis Caelum, and an unknown woman (possibly an Oracle).

A trailer for the anime will also be released tomorrow. Right now, they haven’t said how long it will be or how it will be made available, but more details should be coming soon. Episode Ardyn itself is due out in March.

I’m not crazy about this being an anime prologue, but I’m still looking forward to seeing this story at last. How do you feel about Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ardyn Prologue?

Episodes Aranea, Lunafreya, and Noctis Cancelled

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Nov 092018
 

Back in April, Square Enix revealed the next four DLC episodes planned for Final Fantasy XV.

These four “Dawn of the Future” DLC episodes would focus on Ardyn, Aranea, Lunafreya, and Noctis.

Episode Ardyn would be a prequel, Episode Aranea was described as a side story, and Episode Lunafreya and Episode Noctis were apparently planned to deal with an alternate future in place of the game’s normal ending.

I wasn’t thrilled with the alternate ending DLC, especially since Luna needed more time in the actual plot, but I was particularly interested in finally seeing Ardyn’s past.

Well… I’ll get my wish, but anyone looking forward to the others won’t.

Episode Aranea, Episode Lunafreya, and Episode Noctis have been officially cancelled. This appears to be due to a decision to have the new Luminous Productions studio work on an all-new game instead.

Not only that, but Hajime Tabata has left Square Enix to start his own company, though we don’t have any further details yet.

It isn’t all bad news for Final Fantasy XV, though. The standalone version of Comrades is coming out on December 12, there’s going to be a crossover event with Final Fantasy XIV, and Episode Ardyn is still planned for March as the last of the Final Fantasy XV DLC.

Episode Ardyn takes place 30 years prior to the main game… which surprises me. I expected the Ardyn prequel story to be set much earlier. There will also be an animated prologue that shows Ardyn’s reasons for wanting revenge, so that might be more like the prequel I imagined.

If there’s one good thing about the time frame, it’s young Verstael!

(I’m still not over Verstael’s lack of screen time in the main game.)

While I wasn’t too excited for the other DLC episodes and wanted Square Enix to move on from Final Fantasy XV, it’s rough to have them just cancelled like this. I’ll play Episode Ardyn, although I’m a little disappointed the part I wanted to see of his past apparently isn’t in the DLC…

Well, what are your thoughts on Episode Ardyn, the cancellation of the remaining DLC, and Tabata’s departure from Square Enix?

Thoughts on the New Final Fantasy XV DLC

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Apr 112018
 

We skipped the latest Final Fantasy XV news in favor of discussing the Wild Arms mobile game, so let’s go back to it now.

At PAX East, Square Enix officially announced the next four DLC episodes for Final Fantasy XV.

They’re collectively called the “Dawn of the Future” DLC and are intended to show “a future everyone longed for” with an “alternate grand finale.”

Here are their official descriptions and working titles.

Episode I: Ardyn
“The Conflict of the Sage”
This story portrays the struggles of Ardyn. Witness the resentment he harbored towards Lucis for over 2,000 years, and his clashes with the Astrals.

Episode Side Story: Aranea
“The Beginning of the End”
A side-story about the Starscourge depicted from the Niflheim’s perspective. The final day of the Empire turns out to be Aranea’s worst day.

Episode II: Lunafreya
“The Choice of Freedom”
This story’s about Luna’s fate, which not even death can free her from. Her battle to save the one she loves overturns the destiny dealt to the Lucian King.

Episode III: Noctis
“The Final Strike”
Parting ways with the Astrals, Noctis embarks upon his final battle in order to attain the ideal future for all his people.

(They also announced that the Comrades multiplayer expansion will be released as a standalone product this summer.)

Episode Ardyn sounds out of keeping with the “future” theme, since it should be depicting events of the past, but it’s the DLC I wanted the most.

Episode Aranea appears to be shorter than the others, since it’s described as a “side story” rather than being numbered with the others.

Episode Lunafreya and Episode Noctis (and yes, it’s ironic to get an Episode Noctis when the entire game focused on him) are the ones most obviously connected to an alternate future. Luna will help Noctis overcome his destiny and he’ll reach an ideal future.

Alternate ending DLC is… odd. It’s not particularly what I hoped for, but it’s less frustrating than DLC that feels necessary to tell a complete story. Still, I’d have traded it for DLC actually expanding Luna’s role in the plot and maybe showing us Iris during the time skip.

But it is what it is. I just hope Ardyn’s DLC isn’t a part of the “alternate grand finale,” since we need to learn about his past, not an alternate future.

What do you think about the upcoming Final Fantasy XV DLC? Are you planning to get any of it? Let me know in the comments.

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