Square-Enix's Remakes and Spins-off VS Final Fantasy Fandom.

[The Crystal]

This is nothing new; ever since the company released its first real sequel to a Final Fantasy title, Final Fantasy X-2, fans have been divided.

The first real sequel to a Final Fantasy was the sequel of FFV, released as an OVA.

Some are glad for the universe of their favourite installment being expanded, while others decry that whenever S-E releases a new remake or spin-off, there is a perversion of the original title. This is especially true when elements that have been canon, sometimes for as much of a decade, are retconned by the new material.

I'm part of the first group. If something is good, why stop it?

Now, while I understand that S-E is a company, and that companies must create new stuff to continue to make money to create even more stuff and pay their employees, are they being fair to their fanbase?

I think they are. The fact people are buying the games, means they are still interested.
So, nothing more fair than giving to the fans what they want.

The company may legally own the franchise on paper, but after sharing these titles with the public for twenty years now, can we even say Final Fantasy belongs ONLY to Square-Enix?

Yes. They created it and it belongs to them.

Especially when it is often the fans, as opposed to Square-Enix' marketting department, that have been keeping the interest in the older titles alive by building websites like this one, writing fanfiction, drawing fanarts, et cetera.

And S-E have been kipping the interest in the older titles, by remaking them to new platforms.

Do the fans even have the right to be upset when the creative minds of S-E does something new?

Of course they have. But the real question is: If it upsets the fans, why they continue to buy the games?

What are your thoughts?

My thought is that S-E is giving what the fans wants. If that wasn't the case, S-E would have to stop making the games, simply because no one would be buying them.