Confirmation...

[Wolf Kanno]

But I would say perhaps that the release of each game isn't the "OMG! WHATS IT LIKE!?!?" event it was during the VII-X era. I remember back in the days if you were the first one to get those games, everyone else would be asking you about it, coming over to watch it, check out the battles, videos, characters, stories and such. Now, not so much. My one Madden/MLBTheShow loving roommate asked me about it last year when he saw me playing it, but that's about it.

I miss those days myself, but for my group it died when the PS2 era started. I was the only one interested in X and everyone else just waited and picked it up months later. Oddly enough, my friend who was the least interested ended up liking it the most and I, the one the most interested, ended up disliking the game the most. I think the PS2 era really threw fans for a loop. X was released and then XI was an MMO which was unheard of to have a long running numbered console series jump to Online gaming which was not exactly something I felt the fanbase completely felt was the right move. I personally enjoy it though .

Then XII kept getting delayed and in the long drought of no official numbered FFs we got the first direct sequel, Kingdom Hearts, and remakes. For some, they went five years without an FF. Throw in XII own bombshells of awesome design and I can see how the fanbase isn't as strong as it used to be.

I still remember chatting with friends about VIII and IX and how we had challenges to see who could finish the game first and all the spoilers... I miss those days...