True Fantasy Live Online Cancelled

Many an Xbox owner will likely be heard crying this week, as development on one of the most anticipated online Xbox titles has officially been called off. Developed by Level 5, the creators of the Dark Cloud franchise and contributers to the upcoming Dragon Quest VIII (all on PS2), True Fantasy Live Online was slated for release this winter (in Japan) and would have been the first console-exclusive MMORPG since PSO.

Microsoft claimed that the decision to cancell True Fantasy Online was due to a number of factors, one of which was the feeling that the came was not progressing well, and would be unable to deliver a level of quality Microsoft demands for their consumers. This is somewhat puzzling however, considering complete stinkers like Magatama and Sneakers.

When pressed for further comment, an MS spokesperson commented that the cancellation was due to a number of factors, the most pertinent being that the MMORPG genre was quickly becoming very competitive, and it was generally felt within the company that given the game’s lack of progress, and the estimated time needed for completion would hinder its performance in the market. Considering the level of anticipation for the title, and the lack of any real MMORPGs on the XBOX, this reasoning still seems somewhat odd.

Regardless, the cancellation is official and has likely only served to put further strain on Microsoft of Japan, as TFLO was generally considered one of the Xbox titles that was likely to perform well in Japan.