Universal Studios Japan has been known for hosting attractions featuring some of the major cultural icons of Japanese television, film and videogaming, such as Neon Genesis Evangelion and Attack on Titan. Now the Final Fantasy videogame series will form part of its 2018 line up of attractions with a virtual reality (VR) roller coaster.
The upcoming Final Fantasy attraction is set to be called the Final Fantasy XR Ride, a mixed reality (MR) experience that allows park visitors to get on board on of the famous airships from Final Fantasy lore, then set off to travel between the various worlds of Final Fantasy, catching glimpses of the heroes and villains of each title, and getting involved in some hair-raising situations along the way.
Promotional materials for the Final Fantasy XR Ride features Final Fantasy VII protagonist Cloud Strife, flanked by Squall and Lighting of Final Fantasy VIII and XIII respectively, Tidus and Zidane of Final Fantasy X and IX are present, along with Terra and Cecil of Final Fantasy VI and IV for those who like to delve further into the franchise history.
The VR visuals will be produced by Square Enix in-house visual team at Visual Works, who have been responsible for the impressive CGI cut-scenes that have become an expected aspect of the franchise. Another name connected to the Final Fantasy franchise, artist Yoshitake Amano is also involved, creating a logo for the ride in the style of several of the previous videogames in the series.
The Final Fantasy XR Ride is due to open at the Universal Studios Japan theme park in Osaka on 19th January, 2018.
VRFocus will bring you further news on the Final Fantasy XR Ride as it becomes available.