On the occasion of Final Fantasy Tactics’ 27th anniversary, its director Yasumi Matsuno shared images of an early version of the game that deviates significantly from the final product. Initially aiming for a real-time strategy (RTS) style similar to “Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen,” the project was unfortunately scrapped and led to the release of the beloved turn-based tactics game we know today.

Matsuno explains, “This is a sample image from early 1996. We had hoped to continue development with the aim of creating an RTS… unfortunately this was scrapped.” The images reveal a different art style compared to the final version.

While the original concept didn’t come to fruition, it’s fascinating for fans to see what could have been. Final Fantasy Tactics, known today as one of PS1’s best games and later remade on PSP as “Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions,” continues to captivate players.

Was the decision to pivot from an RTS to a turn-based strategy game advantageous for Final Fantasy Tactics, considering the unique gameplay experience it provided compared to its competitors at the time?