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| Ashadelo said: wasn't FFIX supposed to be the FF that "went back to its roots" type of Final Fantasy. I always got the impression that IX was more like IV and V then VI-VIII |
It is a long story but basically, Sqaure was happy with the sales of FFVII in fact so happy that going 'the realistic way' and less medieval was better for the series but some fans and some of the staff loved the medieval style and they wanted another one so Square greenlighted a side project called Final Fantasy Gaiden (litterally means side story).
I remember reading in magazines that their will be no mainline final fantasy after FFVIII on PSONE and that FFIX/FFX/FFXI would be for the next console.
If Gaiden was succesfull enough we would get a Gaiden 2-3-4-5 etc all in the similar Medieval style.
Till this part is basically a fact the next part is guesswork/rumours during that time. The rumours were that 'Business' changed things.
=> Gaiden would become FFIX because adding a IX would mean more sales, FFIX/FFX/FFXI changed to FFX/FFXI/FFXII. Gaiden 2-3 were cancelled before start of production and replaced by more lucrative products FF crystal Chronicles and game X with Disney that became Kingdom Hearts. Some of the staff were not so happy Sakaguchi included and they wanted to still make 'Gaiden games' And they were looking for like minded people found some who worked on Legends of Dragoon/shadow hearts etc and Lost Odyssey was probably one of those early visions of a sequel to a FF 'Gaiden' game.
