Get ready to join the battle royale, as the mobile spin-off/prequel Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier has officially gone live.
Even though it’s almost been a year since its reveal, the concept of a “Final Fantasy battle royale” game still seems a little hard to process. However the big launch day has come at last, and Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier went live today at 12AM PST (8AM GMT) for iOS and Android players.
In this mobile-only title, players are candidates for Shinra’s SOLDIER program 30 years before the events of the original Final Fantasy VII, well before half the main cast is even born. Competitors will engage in virtual reality simulations to assess their worthiness and find who is worthy of becoming the first member of the SOLDIER program—so in other words, in the game’s lore, your virtual avatar could blaze the same trail that will be walked by Sephiroth, Angeal, Genesis, and Zack!
Of course, this isn’t simply a Fortnite-style battle royale. RPG mechanics and familiar elements infuse the game with that quintessential Final Fantasy experience as you ride motorbikes and chocobos, wield magic, and battle summoned monsters to prove your mettle to Shinra. Your class will determine what melee weapon you use and the abilities you can utilize, including Warrior, Sorcerer, Monk, Ranger, and Ninja.
However, if you have played Fortnite or its ilk, you have an idea of what to expect. Games contain up to 75 players who air-drop onto the battlefield—in this case, from a Shinra helicopter. Once on the ground, they must search for provisions like weapons, items, and materia as the battlefield gradually shrinks around them, and fight to be the last person standing.
Square Enix ran a preregistration campaign over social media for the last few weeks, and has announced that its goal of 2 million preregistered players has been surpassed. Aside from showing a massive amount of curiosity around the game, this means early players will receive a handful of goodies at launch—though you’ll need to check in daily to receive them as login bonuses.
As of this morning, the servers seem to be struggling to keep up with all the traffic as people dip their toes in. Be patient if you can’t get in—the problems will ease up, and the team appears to be hard at work to maximize stability.
Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier is available now on Apple and Android devices for free, with optional in-app purchases. For a more traditional experience, try using a Bluetooth controller and broadcasting your device to a compatible monitor/TV. And if you’re looking to find a party or talk to other players who are checking it out, join our Discord server and check the #final_fantasy_mobile channel!
