Square Enix Admits Source Code Completely LOST For Many Games!

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One of the more persistant rumours that has made its rounds across the internet the last few years is that Square have lost the source code for Final Fantasy 8. This, we are told, is the reason why the game appeared to be neglected by them for the longest time. While that remains just a rumour (and likely an untrue one), the president of Square has now acknowledged the same situation IS true for much of its older back catalogue!

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Fuzz

#Square #SquareEnix #FinalFantasy8

[FuzzfingerGaming]

This seems like sad news. Any games you played back in the day that have not shown up again recently?

[TheFatestPat]

It sounds ridiculous that the source code for major games like FF would be lost, but you have to be in the mind set of those older days.
Probably the biggest factor was that game companies just weren't concerned about archiving their games. It was a fast paced, cutthroat industry where everyone was trying to make new, bigger, better games as fast as they could. There wasn't a nostalgic factor at the time and no one knew it would become such a huge deal in a couple of decades. A game was only relevant for a brief time before new ones came out to replace them.
Another thing was the difficulty of saving the data. We're talking about things like multiple floppy discs that need to be run through assembly, old hard drives on computers that get filled up and outdated quickly. And what about old builds or data that didn't get used, why would anyone care about storing that kind of stuff? These old forms of storage can break, get damaged, or just get thrown out because no one knows what's on them. It was expensive to buy all this stuff. Much more economical to wipe things clean so you can use them again.
Then you have shifts in the company. The people who worked on the old games leave. No one else may know where all that data is stored. And if it is stored somewhere, it might not be labeled at all. Then you have companies that get bought out or merged. Offices change and old equipment gets dumped or thrown out to make way for the new stuff. It was also common practice to build new engines for new games, especially if they were going to be on a new console. No real reason to keep all that old data lying around on old machines when you couldn't do anything with it.
Plus a lot of coding ends up being a huge mess. Unless you have the people who made the code or they left detailed notes, it's going to be a very time consuming process to comb through it all and figure out what is going on.
Nintendo seems to be one of the only game companies that has always been very adamant about saving all their old code. And they're a large company that's been around for a long time, stayed in the same spot, and have a number of long term employees. Plus they are one of the console makers. Can't say that for most other gaming companies.

[allthethings]

Chrono Cross, Vagrant Story, Brave Fencer Musashi, Threads of Fate. GIMMIE.

[tensaygamer]

Parasite Eve. I need it! Remastered or remake but do it already!

[Thisisthegreatestatofalltime]

I’m fairly sure they lost the KH1 source code, yet they were still able to remaster the game despite that.

[chronoxiong]

I hope they find the source code for Legend of Mana and Vagrant Story

[brothersandsistersofvalhalla]

Minor games I can see them losing source codes too. Final Fantasy, being the heart of their enterprise, I have a hard time believing they'd be that careless with it.

[jasonargo]

I don't understand why SE couldn't just get the source code from a game copy itself. Isn't that what many game hackers do to make customized versions of games?

[MasterRoshi]

I'm just glad we are finally getting Final Fantasy VIII on the PS4.

[Alex-wojk]

Id like to see a Chrono Trigger remake.

[bennybeck]

The scary thing is we have no idea which ones they lost

[Pstrwldchld]

I’m glad I’m finally getting my ff8 remaster. That’s all I wanted to hear from this e3 to be honest lol.

[hamma]

FF6 remake, Chrono Trigger remake we would be very happy!

[MondoJohnny]

I do wonder which games they are because we have had ports and remakes for all the Final Fantasy games as far as I know.

[generalstiffy]

Do you reckon 6 will ever be ported over to ps4 fuzzy would anyone enjoy it I would anyway.... Kefka was and still is the only villain who had a plan and carried it out him and sephiroth are the series most ultimate villians

[antwan]

A subscription to play the plethora of Square Enix potentially even Square Soft games, that sounds very good.

[limitbreak]

They must be mostly NES titles or Gameboy. Can't recall any that come to mind. The most obvious ones like final fantasy and Chrono Trigger have plenty of ports. Not lost but a super mario rpg remake or proper sequel would be awesome. Come on square and nintendo.

[generalstiffy]

I am happy to hear about 8 getting remastered I loved the story and characters seifer and zell... The only thing I really hated and hoped there is an option is the enemy's leveling up with you there always 2 levels behind it makes the grind pointless in my view.... Im hoping there's a trick or option like in the witcher or dragon age... Or in the cheats they usually give... The draw and junction system is a pain in the ass to

[Daishilegendary]

OH SHIT IT'S THE ARGUEMENT FOR ROMS AND EMULATORS! XD Haha. A lot of these companies should've been okay with ROMs, ISOs, and Emulators. They were saving gaming history.

[kentheengineer]

Dude the code has been in the same location on the disc but whats the diff between the original source code and the copy idk what the hell people are talking about