Final Fantasy XIII
is due for Japanese release on December 17. That's been known for some
time now, and we're sure you've come to accept the fact that Japanese
gamers are going to get the latest Final Fantasy in advance, once
again.


But the wait for an English version may not be too long. Previously, Square Enix committed to a Spring international release for the title. Today, during an investors briefing in Tokyo (covered by Impress Watch), Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada said that it might be possible to release the game outside of Japan this fiscal year.


For those who speak calendar dates, a release before the end of the
fiscal year means some time before March 31, 2010. That would certainly
be Spring.


While he wouldn't commit to an exact timeframe for FFXIII's
international release, Wada did state that development is progressing
smoothly.


Wada also attempted to alleviate investor concerns about sales for
FFXIII in Japan, where the PS3 has yet to reach the 4 million sold
mark. To counter claims that a low installed base means low software
sales, Wada took out a chart showing that Final Fantasy X sold 2.3
million units within its first three months of release. This was on a
PS2 with a 4.7 million user base. FFXII managed a similar 2.2 million,
but this was on a PS2 with an 18.9 million user base.