Gaming

Square Enix celebrates Final Fantasy IX 25th anniversary

With New Artwork, Merchandise, and Community Events

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Final Fantasy IX

Square Enix is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Final Fantasy IX. And while fans are clamoring for a remake, the company instead is serving up a whole bunch of other things.

Available are a wide array of commemorative content and collectibles. The milestone campaign includes new illustrations, exclusive merchandise, major discounts, and fan-driven projects, all highlighting the legacy of one of the franchise’s most beloved titles.

New illustrations

To mark the occasion, original character designer Toshiyuki Itahana has created two new illustrations featuring the iconic Iifa Tree—one from the perspective of Zidane and his companions, and another centered on Kuja. Updated character art was also released alongside a new anniversary video reflecting on the game’s legacy.

Final Fantasy IX discounted, events, merch

As part of the celebration, Final Fantasy IX is currently available at a 70% discount on multiple platforms. The promotion runs through July 10 on Steam and until July 16 on the Nintendo eShop.

Fans are also invited to participate in a special art showcase, with submissions open through October 31. This community event encourages artists around the world to share their love for the game through original artwork.

Looking ahead, Square Enix is set to release a new illustrated picture book starring Vivi Ornitier, one of the game’s most iconic characters. Titled Final Fantasy IX: Vivi’s Story – Memories of My Grandpa, the book explores Vivi’s quiet life with Grandpa Quan. Written by Kazuhiko Aoki and illustrated by Itahana, the 48-page hardcover will be available on May 19, 2026, for $17.99.

In August 2025, the company will also launch a 25th anniversary vinyl album titled Timeless Tale. The release includes newly recorded versions of classic tracks, including “Melodies of Life,” with liner notes by composer Nobuo Uematsu. Each copy will include an MP3 download code and feature new art by Itahana. The vinyl is priced at $52.99.

Official merchandise

A range of official merchandise, including acrylic figures, apparel, and stationery, is available through the Square Enix Store. The company has also made a commemorative July calendar featuring the Final Fantasy IX cast available for download via its social media channels.

In a related collaboration, Japanese eyewear brand Zoff is launching a limited-edition Final Fantasy IX collection. Available from July 7 to August 3 in select Tokyo and Osaka locations, the line includes three character-inspired glasses, each packaged with exclusive cleaning cloths, themed cases, and capsule toy novelties.

The campaign highlights Final Fantasy IX’s enduring appeal, combining nostalgia with new creative expressions and collectible releases. While fans continue to speculate about a potential remake, Square Enix’s official anniversary celebration reinforces the game’s lasting significance in the Final Fantasy legacy.

Final Fantasy XI Remake?

The Final Fantasy official social media account has been pushing these updates over the past few weeks. This has led to a speculation that a Final Fantasy IX Remake is on the horizon. After all, it was one of the titles seen during the massive NVIDIA leak from a couple of years back. All of the titles listed then had since come out, save for FFIX Remake. 

Curiously, a group of experienced game developers came out with a fan-made trailer showing their take on what an FFIX Remake could look like.

While Square Enix didn’t announce the remake on the exact date of the title’s 25th anniversary, some fans are still hoping the announcement will come eventually.

Gaming

Valve unveils price of the Steam Frame

The VR headset starts at US$ 1,059.

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The trifecta is complete. Almost a year after announcing their new hardware, Valve has finally unveiled the price tag of the Steam Frame, complementing the Steam Machine and Steam Controller revealed a few months ago.

Whereas the Steam Machine is a console of its own, the Steam Frame is a traditional VR headset with a pair of controllers for both hands. Unfortunately, despite being in a different segment, the headset is not immune to the rising prices of technology. The Steam Frame will start at US$ 1,059 for a 256GB model and can go up to US$ 1,299 for the 1TB model. On the plus side, each box will come Half-Life: Alyx packaged along with the headset.

Here’s a more detailed rundown of what you’re getting. The Steam Frame will ship with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, paired with 16GB of RAM. Each eye comes with a 2160 x 2160 LCD screen, putting out images at up t0 a 144Hz experimental refresh rate. As mentioned above, the headset will start with 256GB of storage but can go up to 2TB. It will come packaged with SteamOS 3 and a rechargeable 21.6Wh battery.

This might be a hard buy for some. The industry currently has more affordable options, for one. Also, virtual reality isn’t the most thriving segment of gaming today.

If you’re still decided on buying one, however, Valve is using its lottery system. Interested customers can sign up from now until September 17. The company will then randomize the purchasing order. Those who draw the first ones in the lottery can get a purchase email as soon as September 18. Meanwhile, anyone who registers after September 17 will automatically be put at the back of the queue.

SEE ALSO: Valve announces its own console called the Steam Machine

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Gaming

BlizzCon 2026 announces World of Warcraft: Forever and Diablo V

StarCraft, Overwatch, Hearthstone, and more also get news

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Blizzard Entertainment kicked off BlizzCon 2026 with a packed Opening Ceremony featuring new games, major expansions, updates, and other announcements across its biggest franchises.

Blizzard Entertainment President Johanna Faries opened the event at the Anaheim Convention Center, celebrating the community behind the company’s games and the teams that bring its worlds to life.

World of Warcraft: Forever and Diablo V

The biggest announcement was World of Warcraft: Forever, a new World of Warcraft experience launching November 5 AEDT, with its beta beginning September 18 AEST. The new experience will feature three zones, more than 1,000 quests, nine dungeons, two raids, and a new Skyborne race.

Blizzard also officially announced Diablo V, marking the next era of the franchise. The game is set to launch in North America in Spring 2029, with Sanctuary having fallen and Diablo having won.

StarCraft is also returning with a new story-driven, open-world shooter. The game is currently planned for a Spring 2030 release in North America.

Beyond games, Blizzard revealed that an animated series set in the Diablo universe is in development with Netflix. The company says this is only the beginning of its plans to expand its universes beyond gaming.

For Warcraft III Reforged, the new Forsaken Kingdom campaign is available today. It marks the Warcraft RTS series’ first new storyline in more than 23 years and explores the fall of Lordaeron and the origins of the Undercity. The accompanying 3.0 update also brings graphical improvements and a revamped World Editor.

Heroes of the Storm is adding Xal’atath as its newest Hero. She arrives in the Nexus on September 29 AEST, with her PTR release scheduled for September 15 AEST.

Existing games updates

Meanwhile, Diablo IV is preparing for its next major content drop. Season of Hell’s Legacy begins September 16 AEST and celebrates the franchise’s 30-year history with the return of the Prime Evils and Deckard Cain, alongside themed rewards and gear.

The legendary Amazon class will also arrive in the first half of 2027 as part of Diablo IV’s first class pack. The Diablo IV: Age of Hatred Collection is additionally coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on September 16 AEST with cross-platform play and cross-progression.

For World of Warcraft, Blizzard teased the next major update for Midnight. Eclipse (12.2) will see Xal’atath move closer to her goal of claiming Azeroth’s Worldsoul. Blizzard also offered another look at The Last Titan, the next expansion in the Worldsoul Saga and a major culmination of more than two decades of Warcraft storytelling. More information is coming early next year.

Overwatch is getting a major update with Season 5. The season introduces new Support Hero Doctrine, reworks for Sombra and Roadhog, and the new Watchpoint: Grimsvötn map. It will also conclude The Reign of Talon, Overwatch’s first year-long narrative arc.

LE SSERAFIM & YOASABI

BlizzCon also featured performances from YOASOBI and LE SSERAFIM. YOASOBI will perform during the first-ever esports halftime show at BlizzCon, while LE SSERAFIM will return to the Main Stage to close the weekend. A new LE SSERAFIM in-game collaboration is available now, with another Overwatch Spotlight scheduled for February 2027.

Finally, Hearthstone is getting its first new class in more than six years. The Monk arrives in 2027, while the upcoming Reign of the Black Empire expansion takes players back to the earliest age of Azeroth. It introduces the Assemble keyword, which combines two cards into a new one. Battlegrounds is also adding Aberrations as a new minion type.

BlizzCon 2026 is now underway, with Blizzard promising more announcements and details throughout the weekend.

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Xbox saves Kojima’s PHYSINT after PlayStation drops support

PlayStation says the separation was mutual, but Kojima hints otherwise.

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Things aren’t going well in the PlayStation camp. After two months of frankly questionable decisions, the company adds another to the pile by dropping support for Hideo Kojima’s PHYSINT.

For a while now, Kojima and PlayStation were in a very productive relationship with the Death Stranding duology, a critically acclaimed collection of titles for the platform. When things looked like they were going well, Kojima announced PHYSINT, an espionage-themed game which reminded fans way too much of Metal Gear Solid.

If you were investing in a PlayStation 5 to play Kojima’s latest thriller, you might want to move your chips elsewhere now. PlayStation has just dropped support for the espionage game, meaning PHYSINT will no longer be a first-party title for the platform.

Though PlayStation claims that the decision came after “careful consideration,” Kojima himself has said that the move was “unexpected,” going against PlayStation’s assurance of a mutual separation.

Very quickly, Xbox has announced that their platform will support PHYSINT instead. It’s a big get for the competing brand because Xbox Game Studios is already supporting OD, Kojima’s other upcoming horror project starring Sophia Lillis.

Unfortunately, it’s difficult to say more. As is tradition, Kojima will not explain much more about his upcoming titles. In fact, OD’s trailer barely says anything. One thing’s for sure, though: we’re all in for quite a ride.

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