Paris-based Cyber Group Studios has teamed up with Square Enix to produce an animated series based on the ninth installment of the latter’s best-selling RPG franchise, Final Fantasy. Released in 2000 for the original PlayStation, Final Fantasy IX served as a retrospective for the series, marking a return to the roots of the franchise with a medieval fantasy setting and narrative centered around crystals. The episode count and length of Cyber Group Studios’ new animated Final Fantasy IX series hasn’t been finalized, but production is expected to begin by late 2021 or early 2022.
Final Fantasy is one of the most popular kid-friendly video game franchises ever, with more than 154 million copies sold worldwide, according to Square Enix’s 2020 annual report. That popularity, and a chance to expand the brand with new characters and adventures, is what attracted Cyber Group, says Sissmann.
Sources: Kidscreen, Game Informer