Final Fantasy IX Arrives On PC After 16 Years

Final Fantasy IX [official site] is a name you're likely to hear a fair bit if you ask folks about their favourite Final Fantasy game. You thought you were being all clever and snide, preparing some comeback about Square Enix releasing over fifty of the devils, but someone has disarmed you with earnesty about a video game. What are you going to do now? Will you say "Oh, FFIX or FFIX-2 Final Flash or FFIX-9 - Zidane Doubles Down?" Scoff and stammer something about Chocobos? Give it up, mate.

I only came here to say a PC version of the JRPG launched today, 16 years after its PlayStation debut, and you're tossing out that crap banter. Sort yourself out.

Final Fantasy IX is a Final Fantasy game, in that it's a JRPG with crystals and adventure and saving-the-world and friendship and... I'll plead ignorance here. Tell me: what do you like about FFIX, gang?

The PC port isn't massively overhauled, unsurprisingly, but does bring fancier character models and higher-resolution cinematics. It's from the same roots as the recent pocket telephone release, boasting new features like autosaves and optional "boosters" like a high-speed mode, loads of cash, and the ability to turn off random encounters. Some folks say they're having trouble with the game not recognising their Xbox controller, but apparently this can be solved for now by only plugging that in after launching the game.

It's on Steam for £12.79/16,79€/$16.79 right now, thanks to a 20% launch discount available until next Thursday. Look, Square Enix somehow made pictures move: