Final Fantasy 15 director's first independent game is an RPG about the Paralympics
"This is not just an ordinary video game about sports."
Final Fantasy XV director, Hajime Tabata, is creating a new Paralympics RPG, The Pegasus Dream Tour.
Tabata left Square Enix and Luminous Productions at the end of last year, and has since gone on to establish his own studio, JP Games. The Pegasus Dream Tour will be the studio's inaugural project.
Described as a "completely new sports role-playing game", Pegasus Dream Tour sees you assume the role of a para-athlete competing in a virtual, "dynamically rendered" Paralympic Games at fantasy metropolis, Pegasus City. Expected to be "accessible on various platforms" - including mobile - players will "awaken" new "special abilities or Xtra Power".
"This is not just an ordinary video game about sports," Habata said in a statement via the Paralympics website (thanks, Digital Trends). "JP Games is going to represent fully the wonders that are unique to Paralympic sports in this brand-new role-playing game - a genre we excel in. With this video game, we want to contribute to the future growth of the Paralympic Games, not just as a sporting event, but as entertainment as well, with contents that we hope will have lasting value in the future."
"Ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, we are eager to explore innovative ways to engage with new and younger global audiences," added Andrew Parsons, IPC President. "We believe this game will help boost interest in the Paralympic Games and make it easier for people all over the world to enjoy and experience the heated atmosphere, passion and excitement of the event.
"The sport at the Paralympics is outstanding and helps transform attitudes towards persons with disabilities like no other event. I am really excited to see and play this game and see how the outstanding abilities of Para-athletes are represented."
As yet there's no specific release date for Pegasus Dream Tour, but it's expected to release just in time for the 2020 Toyko Olympic / Paralympic Games.
